ARDMS Breast Registry Review - Questions With
Insightful Solutions
Artifact Correct Answer - An echo feature present or absent in a
sonographic image that does not correspond to the presence or absence of a
real structure. Eg. enhancement or shadowing.
Attenuation Correct Answer - The reduction of intensity (and amplitude)
of a sound wave as it travels through a material. Attenuation is due to
absorption, reflection, and scattering.
Complex Correct Answer - A structure in the body that contains both
cystic and solid components.
Echogenic Correct Answer - A structure or medium that produces echoes.
Edge Shadowing Correct Answer - Decreased echo amplitude distal to the
edge of a structure. This artifact results from refraction of the sound beam.
Enhancement Correct Answer - Increased echo amplitude returning from
regions lying beyond an object that causes little or no attenuation of the sound
beam (typically a cystic structure). This artifact results in a brighter than
normal appearance.
Heterogeneous Correct Answer - A structure that has an uneven texture
(hypoechoic and hyperechoic echoes throughout). Synonym - non-uniform.
Homogeneous Correct Answer - Smooth uniform texture
Ipsilateral Correct Answer - On the same side.
Contrlateral Correct Answer - On the opposite side.
Isoechoic Correct Answer - Same echogenicity as another structure or the
surrounding tissue.
Noise Correct Answer - Spurious echoes throughout the image.
,Real-time Correct Answer - The scanning and display of sonographic
images at a sufficiently rapid rate so that moving structures can be seen to
move at their natural rate. ***Frame rates of 15 frames per second or greater
are considered real time***
Reverberation Correct Answer - Artifact causing linear echoes parallel to a
strong interface. Sound "bounces"
Ring Down Correct Answer - Reverb in which numerous parallel echoes
are seen for a considerable distance. E.g. a biopsy needle.
Sensitivity Correct Answer - The ability to diagnose disease in a patient
when disease is present.
Texture Correct Answer - The pattern of echoes seen from a mass or area
of interest in the body.
Refractive Edge Shadowing Correct Answer - Bending of a sound beam
and loss of sound energy causing a shadow.
Mid level gray corresponds to _____ in the breast. Correct Answer - Fat
Hyperechoic describes what three structures visualized in breast sonography.
Correct Answer - Fibroglandular tissue, Cooper's Ligament, Skin
What frequency transducer is optimal for breast imaging? Correct Answer -
7.0-15.0 MHz is optimal for superior axial and lateral resolution while
maintaining penetration to the chest wall. It should also be BROADBAND.
Fixed elevation focusing represents.... Correct Answer - Focusing along the
short axis of the transducer.
What design of transducer is used in breast imaging? Correct Answer -
Linear array is optimal
The advantage of a rectangular image over a sector image is the avoidance of
what artifact? Correct Answer - Beam divergence
,Interventional procedures are more accurately guided with a _______ __________
probe. Correct Answer - Linear array
When is a curved array transducer used in breast imaging? Correct Answer
- Pathology too large to fit on linear image
Most linear transducers in breast sonography are ______ arrays. Correct
Answer - 1-D
1-D arrays offer a fixed focus in the ________ plan (short axis) Correct Answer
- Elevation
1.5-D matrix array transducers have multiple elements along the _____ axis of
the probe. Correct Answer - Short
1.5-D arrays offer some electronic focusing in the __________ plane. Correct
Answer - Elevation
2-D array transducers are not currently _________. Correct Answer -
available
Imaging depth should penetrate the chest wall-- ___ to ___ cm should be
adequate Correct Answer - 3, 6
An echo's brightness is controlled by ______ Correct Answer - gain
Know overall gain, TGC, and output power Correct Answer - This is
ultrasound elementary.
If your image is too bright decrease the ______________. Correct Answer -
Output power
If your image is too dark increase the ____________. Correct Answer -
Receiver gain
__________ focal zones are recommended for breast imaging. Correct Answer
- Multiple
Multiple focal zones will decrease what? Correct Answer - Frame rate
, a 7-12 MHz probe must be used to obtain an elevation focus depth of ____ to
_____ cm. Correct Answer - 1,2
10 MHz = _____ cm elevation plane focus Correct Answer - 1.5
____________ (artifact) decreases contrast resolution and spatial resoution (both
axial and lateral). Places unwanted echoes in cysts. Correct Answer -
Volume averaging
_______ __________ is more sensitive to low velocity flow and offers angle
independence. Correct Answer - Power Doppler
Three reasons Doppler is useful: Correct Answer - (1)Solid vs Cystic
(2)Inflammed vs Non-Inflammed
(3)Complicated Cyst vs Complex Cyst vs Intraductal Papilloma
To optimize Doppler for breast imaging (4 things) Correct Answer - (1)
Low velocity scale
(2) Low filter setting
(3) Optimal Doppler gain setting
(4) Increased PRF for high velocities
Uses compounding technique to combine ultrsound lines acquired from
different scanning directions (angles). Improves tissue differentiation, margin
visualization, and internal architecture creating a "smoother" more realistic
image. Correct Answer - Spatial compounding
What are the advantages (2) and disadvantages (2) of spatial compounding?
Correct Answer - Advantages:
-Clears cysts
-Reduces speckle and other noise artifacts (clutter)
Disadvantages
-Reduces acoustic enhancement and shadowing artifact
-Subject to blurring
A diagnostic methof that evaluates the elastic properties of tissue. Breast
tissues vibrate differently based on their firmness. Correct Answer -
Elastography
Insightful Solutions
Artifact Correct Answer - An echo feature present or absent in a
sonographic image that does not correspond to the presence or absence of a
real structure. Eg. enhancement or shadowing.
Attenuation Correct Answer - The reduction of intensity (and amplitude)
of a sound wave as it travels through a material. Attenuation is due to
absorption, reflection, and scattering.
Complex Correct Answer - A structure in the body that contains both
cystic and solid components.
Echogenic Correct Answer - A structure or medium that produces echoes.
Edge Shadowing Correct Answer - Decreased echo amplitude distal to the
edge of a structure. This artifact results from refraction of the sound beam.
Enhancement Correct Answer - Increased echo amplitude returning from
regions lying beyond an object that causes little or no attenuation of the sound
beam (typically a cystic structure). This artifact results in a brighter than
normal appearance.
Heterogeneous Correct Answer - A structure that has an uneven texture
(hypoechoic and hyperechoic echoes throughout). Synonym - non-uniform.
Homogeneous Correct Answer - Smooth uniform texture
Ipsilateral Correct Answer - On the same side.
Contrlateral Correct Answer - On the opposite side.
Isoechoic Correct Answer - Same echogenicity as another structure or the
surrounding tissue.
Noise Correct Answer - Spurious echoes throughout the image.
,Real-time Correct Answer - The scanning and display of sonographic
images at a sufficiently rapid rate so that moving structures can be seen to
move at their natural rate. ***Frame rates of 15 frames per second or greater
are considered real time***
Reverberation Correct Answer - Artifact causing linear echoes parallel to a
strong interface. Sound "bounces"
Ring Down Correct Answer - Reverb in which numerous parallel echoes
are seen for a considerable distance. E.g. a biopsy needle.
Sensitivity Correct Answer - The ability to diagnose disease in a patient
when disease is present.
Texture Correct Answer - The pattern of echoes seen from a mass or area
of interest in the body.
Refractive Edge Shadowing Correct Answer - Bending of a sound beam
and loss of sound energy causing a shadow.
Mid level gray corresponds to _____ in the breast. Correct Answer - Fat
Hyperechoic describes what three structures visualized in breast sonography.
Correct Answer - Fibroglandular tissue, Cooper's Ligament, Skin
What frequency transducer is optimal for breast imaging? Correct Answer -
7.0-15.0 MHz is optimal for superior axial and lateral resolution while
maintaining penetration to the chest wall. It should also be BROADBAND.
Fixed elevation focusing represents.... Correct Answer - Focusing along the
short axis of the transducer.
What design of transducer is used in breast imaging? Correct Answer -
Linear array is optimal
The advantage of a rectangular image over a sector image is the avoidance of
what artifact? Correct Answer - Beam divergence
,Interventional procedures are more accurately guided with a _______ __________
probe. Correct Answer - Linear array
When is a curved array transducer used in breast imaging? Correct Answer
- Pathology too large to fit on linear image
Most linear transducers in breast sonography are ______ arrays. Correct
Answer - 1-D
1-D arrays offer a fixed focus in the ________ plan (short axis) Correct Answer
- Elevation
1.5-D matrix array transducers have multiple elements along the _____ axis of
the probe. Correct Answer - Short
1.5-D arrays offer some electronic focusing in the __________ plane. Correct
Answer - Elevation
2-D array transducers are not currently _________. Correct Answer -
available
Imaging depth should penetrate the chest wall-- ___ to ___ cm should be
adequate Correct Answer - 3, 6
An echo's brightness is controlled by ______ Correct Answer - gain
Know overall gain, TGC, and output power Correct Answer - This is
ultrasound elementary.
If your image is too bright decrease the ______________. Correct Answer -
Output power
If your image is too dark increase the ____________. Correct Answer -
Receiver gain
__________ focal zones are recommended for breast imaging. Correct Answer
- Multiple
Multiple focal zones will decrease what? Correct Answer - Frame rate
, a 7-12 MHz probe must be used to obtain an elevation focus depth of ____ to
_____ cm. Correct Answer - 1,2
10 MHz = _____ cm elevation plane focus Correct Answer - 1.5
____________ (artifact) decreases contrast resolution and spatial resoution (both
axial and lateral). Places unwanted echoes in cysts. Correct Answer -
Volume averaging
_______ __________ is more sensitive to low velocity flow and offers angle
independence. Correct Answer - Power Doppler
Three reasons Doppler is useful: Correct Answer - (1)Solid vs Cystic
(2)Inflammed vs Non-Inflammed
(3)Complicated Cyst vs Complex Cyst vs Intraductal Papilloma
To optimize Doppler for breast imaging (4 things) Correct Answer - (1)
Low velocity scale
(2) Low filter setting
(3) Optimal Doppler gain setting
(4) Increased PRF for high velocities
Uses compounding technique to combine ultrsound lines acquired from
different scanning directions (angles). Improves tissue differentiation, margin
visualization, and internal architecture creating a "smoother" more realistic
image. Correct Answer - Spatial compounding
What are the advantages (2) and disadvantages (2) of spatial compounding?
Correct Answer - Advantages:
-Clears cysts
-Reduces speckle and other noise artifacts (clutter)
Disadvantages
-Reduces acoustic enhancement and shadowing artifact
-Subject to blurring
A diagnostic methof that evaluates the elastic properties of tissue. Breast
tissues vibrate differently based on their firmness. Correct Answer -
Elastography
