ARDMS Vascular Technology (VT) actual Exam 2026/2027 |
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
DOMAIN 1 — NORMAL ANATOMY, PERFUSION & FUNCTION
1.
Which artery is normally the first major branch of the abdominal aorta below the
diaphragm?
A. Superior mesenteric artery
B. Celiac trunk
C. Inferior mesenteric artery
D. Renal artery
Correct Answer: B. Celiac trunk
Rationale: The celiac trunk arises anteriorly from the proximal abdominal aorta
just below the diaphragm.
2.
Which vessel normally lies posterior to the superior mesenteric artery?
A. Superior mesenteric vein
B. Inferior vena cava
C. Portal vein
D. Splenic artery
Correct Answer: A. Superior mesenteric vein
Rationale: The SMV typically lies immediately to the right and slightly posterior to
the SMA.
3.
The common carotid artery bifurcates into which vessels?
,A. Vertebral and subclavian arteries
B. External and internal carotid arteries
C. Common and external carotid arteries
D. Internal and vertebral arteries
Correct Answer: B. External and internal carotid arteries
Rationale: The common carotid divides into the ICA and ECA, usually near the
upper border of the thyroid cartilage.
4.
Which carotid vessel normally has no extracranial branches?
A. External carotid artery
B. Common carotid artery
C. Internal carotid artery
D. Vertebral artery
Correct Answer: C. Internal carotid artery
Rationale: The extracranial ICA normally gives no branches before entering the
skull.
5.
Which Doppler waveform is most typical of a normal resting peripheral lower-
extremity artery?
A. High-resistance triphasic waveform
B. Low-resistance monophasic waveform
C. Continuous venous waveform
D. Pulsatile venous waveform
Correct Answer: A. High-resistance triphasic waveform
Rationale: Resting peripheral muscular arteries normally demonstrate high
resistance with forward, brief reverse, and late forward components.
6.
,Which lower-extremity artery is a continuation of the external iliac artery after it
passes beneath the inguinal ligament?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Common femoral artery
C. Superficial femoral artery
D. Deep femoral artery
Correct Answer: B. Common femoral artery
Rationale: The external iliac becomes the common femoral artery below the
inguinal ligament.
7.
The common femoral artery normally divides into the superficial femoral artery
and:
A. Peroneal artery
B. Deep femoral artery
C. Popliteal artery
D. Anterior tibial artery
Correct Answer: B. Deep femoral artery
Rationale: The profunda femoris, or deep femoral artery, is the major branch
arising from the CFA.
8.
Which vessel is the direct continuation of the superficial femoral artery after
passing through the adductor hiatus?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Deep femoral artery
C. Anterior tibial artery
D. Tibioperoneal trunk
Correct Answer: A. Popliteal artery
Rationale: The SFA becomes the popliteal artery at the adductor hiatus.
, 9.
Which artery normally divides into the anterior tibial and tibioperoneal trunk?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Peroneal artery
C. Dorsalis pedis artery
D. Posterior tibial artery
Correct Answer: A. Popliteal artery
Rationale: The popliteal artery terminates by dividing into the anterior tibial
artery and tibioperoneal trunk.
10.
The dorsalis pedis artery is normally a continuation of the:
A. Posterior tibial artery
B. Anterior tibial artery
C. Peroneal artery
D. Popliteal artery
Correct Answer: B. Anterior tibial artery
Rationale: The anterior tibial artery continues onto the dorsum of the foot as the
dorsalis pedis artery.
11.
Which artery normally supplies the posterior compartment of the lower leg?
A. Posterior tibial artery
B. Anterior tibial artery
C. Dorsalis pedis artery
D. Superficial femoral artery
Correct Answer: A. Posterior tibial artery
Rationale: The posterior tibial artery is the major arterial supply to the posterior
lower-leg compartment.
12.
Complete Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Detailed
Rationales
DOMAIN 1 — NORMAL ANATOMY, PERFUSION & FUNCTION
1.
Which artery is normally the first major branch of the abdominal aorta below the
diaphragm?
A. Superior mesenteric artery
B. Celiac trunk
C. Inferior mesenteric artery
D. Renal artery
Correct Answer: B. Celiac trunk
Rationale: The celiac trunk arises anteriorly from the proximal abdominal aorta
just below the diaphragm.
2.
Which vessel normally lies posterior to the superior mesenteric artery?
A. Superior mesenteric vein
B. Inferior vena cava
C. Portal vein
D. Splenic artery
Correct Answer: A. Superior mesenteric vein
Rationale: The SMV typically lies immediately to the right and slightly posterior to
the SMA.
3.
The common carotid artery bifurcates into which vessels?
,A. Vertebral and subclavian arteries
B. External and internal carotid arteries
C. Common and external carotid arteries
D. Internal and vertebral arteries
Correct Answer: B. External and internal carotid arteries
Rationale: The common carotid divides into the ICA and ECA, usually near the
upper border of the thyroid cartilage.
4.
Which carotid vessel normally has no extracranial branches?
A. External carotid artery
B. Common carotid artery
C. Internal carotid artery
D. Vertebral artery
Correct Answer: C. Internal carotid artery
Rationale: The extracranial ICA normally gives no branches before entering the
skull.
5.
Which Doppler waveform is most typical of a normal resting peripheral lower-
extremity artery?
A. High-resistance triphasic waveform
B. Low-resistance monophasic waveform
C. Continuous venous waveform
D. Pulsatile venous waveform
Correct Answer: A. High-resistance triphasic waveform
Rationale: Resting peripheral muscular arteries normally demonstrate high
resistance with forward, brief reverse, and late forward components.
6.
,Which lower-extremity artery is a continuation of the external iliac artery after it
passes beneath the inguinal ligament?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Common femoral artery
C. Superficial femoral artery
D. Deep femoral artery
Correct Answer: B. Common femoral artery
Rationale: The external iliac becomes the common femoral artery below the
inguinal ligament.
7.
The common femoral artery normally divides into the superficial femoral artery
and:
A. Peroneal artery
B. Deep femoral artery
C. Popliteal artery
D. Anterior tibial artery
Correct Answer: B. Deep femoral artery
Rationale: The profunda femoris, or deep femoral artery, is the major branch
arising from the CFA.
8.
Which vessel is the direct continuation of the superficial femoral artery after
passing through the adductor hiatus?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Deep femoral artery
C. Anterior tibial artery
D. Tibioperoneal trunk
Correct Answer: A. Popliteal artery
Rationale: The SFA becomes the popliteal artery at the adductor hiatus.
, 9.
Which artery normally divides into the anterior tibial and tibioperoneal trunk?
A. Popliteal artery
B. Peroneal artery
C. Dorsalis pedis artery
D. Posterior tibial artery
Correct Answer: A. Popliteal artery
Rationale: The popliteal artery terminates by dividing into the anterior tibial
artery and tibioperoneal trunk.
10.
The dorsalis pedis artery is normally a continuation of the:
A. Posterior tibial artery
B. Anterior tibial artery
C. Peroneal artery
D. Popliteal artery
Correct Answer: B. Anterior tibial artery
Rationale: The anterior tibial artery continues onto the dorsum of the foot as the
dorsalis pedis artery.
11.
Which artery normally supplies the posterior compartment of the lower leg?
A. Posterior tibial artery
B. Anterior tibial artery
C. Dorsalis pedis artery
D. Superficial femoral artery
Correct Answer: A. Posterior tibial artery
Rationale: The posterior tibial artery is the major arterial supply to the posterior
lower-leg compartment.
12.