Exam Content Outline

The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers publishes its exam outlines and other important information on its website (www.ARDMS.org). Visit the site for complete information about applying for and taking the registry examinations. The outline for each exam indicates the approximate percentage of the exam that a particular topic represents. This information is important because it indicates the relative importance of each topic and allows you to study more effectively. For example, the liver represents 16%–24% of the Abdomen exam, whereas the prostate represents 1%–2%.

The complete outline for the Abdomen specialty examination appears below.

I. Liver (16%–24%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Parenchymal disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities         2. Acute and Chronic processes    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Cysts         1. Simple and Complex         2. Benign and Malignant    H. Infection         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities    I. Hematomas    J. Liver transplants         1. Pre-surgical and Post-surgical evaluation
II. Gallbladder and Biliary Tree (10%–18%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Biliary dilatation    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Cholelithiasis-choledocholithiasis    H. Cholecystitis (Acute and Chronic)
III. Pancreas (6%–14%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Parenchymal disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities         2. Acute and Chronic processes    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Cysts         1. Simple and Complex, including Pseudocysts
IV. Kidneys and Urinary Tract (16%–24%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Renal Parenchymal Disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities         2. Chronic and Acute processes    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant, including Pseudomasses    G. Cysts         1. Simple and complex         2. Benign and Malignant    H. Infection    I. Hematomas    J. Calculi    K. Urinary tract obstruction    L. Ischemia    M. Anomalies    N. Kidney Transplants         1. Pre-surgical and Post-surgical evaluation    O. Urinary Bladder         1. Masses, Calculi, and Inflammatory processes (including             evaluation of the ureters, urethra, and urachal anomalies)
V. Scrotum (3%–7%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Parenchymal Disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities         2. Chronic and Acute processes, including Testicular Torsion    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant, including Cryptorchidism    G. Cysts and Fluid Collections         1. Acute and Chronic    H. Infection         1. Acute and Chronic    I. Hematoma
VI. Prostate (1%–2%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Parenchymal Disease         1. Diffuse and Focal abnormalities         2. Acute and Chronic processes    F. Masses    G. Cysts    H. Infection
VII. Spleen (1%–5%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Parenchymal Disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Cysts    H. Infection    I. Hematoma    J. Infarction
VIII. Retroperitoneum (3%–7%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Masses and Lymphdenopathy         1. Benign and Malignant    F. Hematoma    G. Adrenal Gland         1. Normal sonographic appearance         2. Benign and Malignant abnormalities
IX. Abdominal Vascular (7%–15%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique (including Color Doppler, Power Doppler and duplex         Doppler)    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Aneurysm    F. Thrombosis (including Portal Vein, Splenic Vein and Renal Vein         Thrombosis)    G. Shunts         1. Arteriovenous, Porto-systemic, Surgical and Radiological    H. Doppler Spectral Waveform Analysis (including Stenosis,         Thrombosis, Portal Hypertension, and Direction of flow)    I. Color Doppler and Power Doppler (including Stenosis, Thrombosis,       Portal Hypertension, and Direction of flow)
X. Gastrointestinal Tract (1%–5%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Infection (including Acute Appendicitis and Abscess)    F. Masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Obstruction         1. Small Bowel and Colon obstruction    H. Hernia    I. Peritoneal Fluid (including Inflammatory Fluid Collections)
XI. Neck (1%–3%)
A. Anatomy    B. Technique    C. Laboratory values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Thyroid parenchymal disease         1. Focal and Diffuse abnormalities         2. Chronic and Acute processes    F. Thyroid masses         1. Benign and Malignant    G. Thyroid cysts         1. Simple and Complex         2. Benign and Malignant    H. Parathyroid masses    I. Infection    J. Lymph nodes         1. Benign and Malignant    K. Carotid Artery and Jugular Vein         1. Including Sonographic Identification
XII. Abdominal wall, superficial and muscular structures(1%–5%)
A. Anatomy    B. Techniques    C. Laboratory Values    D. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)    E. Masses    F. Cysts and Fluid Collections    G. Infection    H. Hematomas    I. Vessels (including Iatrogenic Vascular Injuries)    J. Musculoskeletal (including Normal and Ruptured tendons, such as        Patellar and Achilles tendons, and Foreign Bodies)    K. Non-echocardiography Chest (including Pleural and Pericardial         Effusions and Masses)
XIII. Instrumentation (1%–2%)
A. Techniques    B. Transducers    C. Machine settings    D. Image recording    E. Artifacts    F. Quality Assurance    G. Harmonic Imaging         1. Physics and clinical applications
XIV. Invasive Procedures (1%–2%)
A. Pre-procedure preparation (including Informed Consent and         Procedure set up)    B. Procedural related issues    C. Indications (including clinical symptoms, clinical correlation and         associated complications)

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