ARDMS Abdomen (AB) Registry actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
Questions 1–300
Anatomy, Perfusion & Function
1. Which vessel is normally identified within the porta hepatis?
A. Hepatic vein
B. Portal vein
C. Inferior vena cava
D. Renal artery
Correct Answer: B. Portal vein
Rationale: The portal vein travels within the porta hepatis with the hepatic artery
and bile duct.
2. The main portal vein is formed by the union of which vessels?
A. Splenic and superior mesenteric veins
B. Hepatic and splenic veins
C. Inferior mesenteric and renal veins
D. Hepatic and superior mesenteric veins
Correct Answer: A. Splenic and superior mesenteric veins
Rationale: The splenic and superior mesenteric veins unite posterior to the
pancreatic neck to form the portal vein.
3. Which hepatic vein normally drains directly into the IVC?
A. Left hepatic vein
B. Middle hepatic vein
C. Right hepatic vein
D. Cystic vein
Correct Answer: C. Right hepatic vein
Rationale: The major hepatic veins drain directly into the inferior vena cava.
,4. The middle hepatic vein is an important landmark separating the:
A. Right and left lobes
B. Right and caudate lobes
C. Left and caudate lobes
D. Quadrate and caudate lobes
Correct Answer: A. Right and left lobes
Rationale: The middle hepatic vein approximates the main portal scissura and
separates functional right and left hepatic lobes.
5. Which ligament contains the umbilical vein remnant?
A. Coronary ligament
B. Falciform ligament
C. Hepatoduodenal ligament
D. Gastrohepatic ligament
Correct Answer: B. Falciform ligament
Rationale: The ligamentum teres, the remnant of the fetal umbilical vein, lies
within the free inferior margin of the falciform ligament.
6. The ligamentum venosum is a remnant of the fetal:
A. Umbilical artery
B. Ductus venosus
C. Ductus arteriosus
D. Vitelline vein
Correct Answer: B. Ductus venosus
Rationale: The ductus venosus shunted oxygenated placental blood toward the
IVC during fetal circulation.
7. Which liver segment is located posteriorly and adjacent to the IVC?
A. Segment II
B. Segment IV
C. Segment VI
D. Segment I
Correct Answer: D. Segment I
Rationale: Segment I is the caudate lobe and lies posteriorly adjacent to the IVC.
,8. The quadrate lobe corresponds primarily to which Couinaud segment?
A. I
B. IV
C. VI
D. VIII
Correct Answer: B. IV
Rationale: The quadrate region corresponds to segment IV of the functional liver
anatomy.
9. Which structure is normally anechoic on sonography?
A. Liver
B. Pancreas
C. Gallbladder bile
D. Splenic parenchyma
Correct Answer: C. Gallbladder bile
Rationale: Uncomplicated bile is fluid and therefore appears anechoic.
10. Normal adult liver parenchyma is generally described as:
A. Homogeneous and moderately echogenic
B. Completely anechoic
C. Markedly hypoechoic to muscle
D. Highly heterogeneous
Correct Answer: A. Homogeneous and moderately echogenic
Rationale: Normal hepatic parenchyma is typically relatively homogeneous with a
fine echotexture.
11. Which structure is commonly used as a sonographic landmark for the
gallbladder?
A. Right kidney
B. Ligamentum teres
C. Left adrenal gland
D. Splenic hilum
Correct Answer: A. Right kidney
, Rationale: The gallbladder is closely related to the liver and right kidney and can
be localized using these landmarks.
12. The gallbladder is located between the:
A. Left and caudate lobes
B. Right and left kidneys
C. Right hepatic lobe and hepatic flexure
D. Right hepatic lobe and quadrate lobe region
Correct Answer: D. Right hepatic lobe and quadrate lobe region
Rationale: The gallbladder lies on the visceral surface of the liver in its fossa near
segment IV and the right lobe.
13. The normal gallbladder wall should generally measure:
A. Less than 3 mm when appropriately assessed
B. 5–7 mm
C. 8–10 mm
D. More than 10 mm
Correct Answer: A. Less than 3 mm when appropriately assessed
Rationale: A fasting, normally distended gallbladder typically has a thin wall
measuring about 3 mm or less.
14. Which structure connects the gallbladder to the common bile duct system?
A. Cystic duct
B. Pancreatic duct
C. Hepatic vein
D. Splenic vein
Correct Answer: A. Cystic duct
Rationale: The cystic duct connects the gallbladder to the extrahepatic biliary
tree.
15. The common hepatic duct is formed by the union of the:
A. Cystic and pancreatic ducts
B. Right and left hepatic ducts
C. Common bile and pancreatic ducts
D. Right hepatic and cystic ducts
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed Rationales
Questions 1–300
Anatomy, Perfusion & Function
1. Which vessel is normally identified within the porta hepatis?
A. Hepatic vein
B. Portal vein
C. Inferior vena cava
D. Renal artery
Correct Answer: B. Portal vein
Rationale: The portal vein travels within the porta hepatis with the hepatic artery
and bile duct.
2. The main portal vein is formed by the union of which vessels?
A. Splenic and superior mesenteric veins
B. Hepatic and splenic veins
C. Inferior mesenteric and renal veins
D. Hepatic and superior mesenteric veins
Correct Answer: A. Splenic and superior mesenteric veins
Rationale: The splenic and superior mesenteric veins unite posterior to the
pancreatic neck to form the portal vein.
3. Which hepatic vein normally drains directly into the IVC?
A. Left hepatic vein
B. Middle hepatic vein
C. Right hepatic vein
D. Cystic vein
Correct Answer: C. Right hepatic vein
Rationale: The major hepatic veins drain directly into the inferior vena cava.
,4. The middle hepatic vein is an important landmark separating the:
A. Right and left lobes
B. Right and caudate lobes
C. Left and caudate lobes
D. Quadrate and caudate lobes
Correct Answer: A. Right and left lobes
Rationale: The middle hepatic vein approximates the main portal scissura and
separates functional right and left hepatic lobes.
5. Which ligament contains the umbilical vein remnant?
A. Coronary ligament
B. Falciform ligament
C. Hepatoduodenal ligament
D. Gastrohepatic ligament
Correct Answer: B. Falciform ligament
Rationale: The ligamentum teres, the remnant of the fetal umbilical vein, lies
within the free inferior margin of the falciform ligament.
6. The ligamentum venosum is a remnant of the fetal:
A. Umbilical artery
B. Ductus venosus
C. Ductus arteriosus
D. Vitelline vein
Correct Answer: B. Ductus venosus
Rationale: The ductus venosus shunted oxygenated placental blood toward the
IVC during fetal circulation.
7. Which liver segment is located posteriorly and adjacent to the IVC?
A. Segment II
B. Segment IV
C. Segment VI
D. Segment I
Correct Answer: D. Segment I
Rationale: Segment I is the caudate lobe and lies posteriorly adjacent to the IVC.
,8. The quadrate lobe corresponds primarily to which Couinaud segment?
A. I
B. IV
C. VI
D. VIII
Correct Answer: B. IV
Rationale: The quadrate region corresponds to segment IV of the functional liver
anatomy.
9. Which structure is normally anechoic on sonography?
A. Liver
B. Pancreas
C. Gallbladder bile
D. Splenic parenchyma
Correct Answer: C. Gallbladder bile
Rationale: Uncomplicated bile is fluid and therefore appears anechoic.
10. Normal adult liver parenchyma is generally described as:
A. Homogeneous and moderately echogenic
B. Completely anechoic
C. Markedly hypoechoic to muscle
D. Highly heterogeneous
Correct Answer: A. Homogeneous and moderately echogenic
Rationale: Normal hepatic parenchyma is typically relatively homogeneous with a
fine echotexture.
11. Which structure is commonly used as a sonographic landmark for the
gallbladder?
A. Right kidney
B. Ligamentum teres
C. Left adrenal gland
D. Splenic hilum
Correct Answer: A. Right kidney
, Rationale: The gallbladder is closely related to the liver and right kidney and can
be localized using these landmarks.
12. The gallbladder is located between the:
A. Left and caudate lobes
B. Right and left kidneys
C. Right hepatic lobe and hepatic flexure
D. Right hepatic lobe and quadrate lobe region
Correct Answer: D. Right hepatic lobe and quadrate lobe region
Rationale: The gallbladder lies on the visceral surface of the liver in its fossa near
segment IV and the right lobe.
13. The normal gallbladder wall should generally measure:
A. Less than 3 mm when appropriately assessed
B. 5–7 mm
C. 8–10 mm
D. More than 10 mm
Correct Answer: A. Less than 3 mm when appropriately assessed
Rationale: A fasting, normally distended gallbladder typically has a thin wall
measuring about 3 mm or less.
14. Which structure connects the gallbladder to the common bile duct system?
A. Cystic duct
B. Pancreatic duct
C. Hepatic vein
D. Splenic vein
Correct Answer: A. Cystic duct
Rationale: The cystic duct connects the gallbladder to the extrahepatic biliary
tree.
15. The common hepatic duct is formed by the union of the:
A. Cystic and pancreatic ducts
B. Right and left hepatic ducts
C. Common bile and pancreatic ducts
D. Right hepatic and cystic ducts
