ARDMS Adult Echocardiography (AE) actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
DOMAIN 1 — ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Questions 1–51
1. Which chamber normally has the thickest myocardial wall?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Correct Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The LV pumps blood into the systemic circulation and therefore
normally has the greatest myocardial thickness.
2. Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A. Aortic
B. Mitral
C. Tricuspid
D. Pulmonic
Correct Answer: B. Mitral
Rationale: The mitral valve is the left atrioventricular valve.
3. Which valve normally contains three cusps?
A. Mitral
B. Pulmonary
,C. Aortic
D. None of these
Correct Answer: C. Aortic
Rationale: A normal aortic valve is usually tricuspid, with right coronary, left
coronary, and noncoronary cusps.
4. The pulmonary valve is located between the:
A. LV and aorta
B. LA and LV
C. RV and pulmonary artery
D. RA and RV
Correct Answer: C. RV and pulmonary artery
Rationale: The pulmonary valve controls blood leaving the right ventricle toward
the pulmonary artery.
5. Which chamber receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Correct Answer: C. Left atrium
Rationale: Pulmonary venous blood enters the left atrium before passing through
the mitral valve.
6. The coronary sinus drains primarily into the:
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Right ventricle
D. Pulmonary artery
,Correct Answer: B. Right atrium
Rationale: The coronary sinus collects venous blood from the myocardium and
empties into the right atrium.
7. The inferior vena cava enters the:
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Right ventricle
D. Coronary sinus
Correct Answer: B. Right atrium
Rationale: Systemic venous blood from below the diaphragm returns through the
IVC to the right atrium.
8. Which structure normally separates the right and left ventricles?
A. Interatrial septum
B. Aortic root
C. Interventricular septum
D. Pericardium
Correct Answer: C. Interventricular septum
Rationale: The interventricular septum forms the muscular and membranous
partition between the ventricles.
9. The moderator band is normally found in the:
A. Left atrium
B. Left ventricle
C. Right atrium
D. Right ventricle
, Correct Answer: D. Right ventricle
Rationale: The moderator band is a muscular structure characteristic of the RV
and connects the septum with the anterior papillary muscle.
10. Which papillary muscle is generally associated with the mitral valve?
A. Anterior and posterior papillary muscles
B. Septal and lateral papillary muscles
C. Conal and moderator papillary muscles
D. Superior and inferior papillary muscles
Correct Answer: A. Anterior and posterior papillary muscles
Rationale: The mitral valve has two major papillary muscle groups.
11. The tricuspid valve is located between the:
A. RA and RV
B. LA and LV
C. RV and pulmonary artery
D. LV and aorta
Correct Answer: A. RA and RV
Rationale: The tricuspid valve is the right atrioventricular valve.
12. Which great vessel carries blood from the LV into systemic circulation?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Superior vena cava
C. Aorta
D. Pulmonary vein
Correct Answer: C. Aorta
Rationale: The aorta receives blood ejected from the LV and distributes it
throughout the systemic circulation.
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
DOMAIN 1 — ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY
Questions 1–51
1. Which chamber normally has the thickest myocardial wall?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Correct Answer: D. Left ventricle
Rationale: The LV pumps blood into the systemic circulation and therefore
normally has the greatest myocardial thickness.
2. Which valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?
A. Aortic
B. Mitral
C. Tricuspid
D. Pulmonic
Correct Answer: B. Mitral
Rationale: The mitral valve is the left atrioventricular valve.
3. Which valve normally contains three cusps?
A. Mitral
B. Pulmonary
,C. Aortic
D. None of these
Correct Answer: C. Aortic
Rationale: A normal aortic valve is usually tricuspid, with right coronary, left
coronary, and noncoronary cusps.
4. The pulmonary valve is located between the:
A. LV and aorta
B. LA and LV
C. RV and pulmonary artery
D. RA and RV
Correct Answer: C. RV and pulmonary artery
Rationale: The pulmonary valve controls blood leaving the right ventricle toward
the pulmonary artery.
5. Which chamber receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins?
A. Right atrium
B. Right ventricle
C. Left atrium
D. Left ventricle
Correct Answer: C. Left atrium
Rationale: Pulmonary venous blood enters the left atrium before passing through
the mitral valve.
6. The coronary sinus drains primarily into the:
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Right ventricle
D. Pulmonary artery
,Correct Answer: B. Right atrium
Rationale: The coronary sinus collects venous blood from the myocardium and
empties into the right atrium.
7. The inferior vena cava enters the:
A. Left atrium
B. Right atrium
C. Right ventricle
D. Coronary sinus
Correct Answer: B. Right atrium
Rationale: Systemic venous blood from below the diaphragm returns through the
IVC to the right atrium.
8. Which structure normally separates the right and left ventricles?
A. Interatrial septum
B. Aortic root
C. Interventricular septum
D. Pericardium
Correct Answer: C. Interventricular septum
Rationale: The interventricular septum forms the muscular and membranous
partition between the ventricles.
9. The moderator band is normally found in the:
A. Left atrium
B. Left ventricle
C. Right atrium
D. Right ventricle
, Correct Answer: D. Right ventricle
Rationale: The moderator band is a muscular structure characteristic of the RV
and connects the septum with the anterior papillary muscle.
10. Which papillary muscle is generally associated with the mitral valve?
A. Anterior and posterior papillary muscles
B. Septal and lateral papillary muscles
C. Conal and moderator papillary muscles
D. Superior and inferior papillary muscles
Correct Answer: A. Anterior and posterior papillary muscles
Rationale: The mitral valve has two major papillary muscle groups.
11. The tricuspid valve is located between the:
A. RA and RV
B. LA and LV
C. RV and pulmonary artery
D. LV and aorta
Correct Answer: A. RA and RV
Rationale: The tricuspid valve is the right atrioventricular valve.
12. Which great vessel carries blood from the LV into systemic circulation?
A. Pulmonary artery
B. Superior vena cava
C. Aorta
D. Pulmonary vein
Correct Answer: C. Aorta
Rationale: The aorta receives blood ejected from the LV and distributes it
throughout the systemic circulation.
