ARDMS BREAST REGISTRY EXAMS newest actual 2025/2026 with
complete QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED DETAILED RATIONALES
ANSWERS /GRADED A+
Benign or malignant feature: Thin, echogenic pseudocapsule - --
-Answers----Benign. Caused by compression or rimming of
adjacent tisues around the lesion (opposite of invasion)
What benign structure is anechoic? - ---Answers----Simple cyst
What benign structures are hyperechoic? - ---Answers----
Fibroglandular Pseudomass or Lipoma
What benign structures are mildly hypoechoic, isoechoic, or
mildly hyperechoic? - ---Answers----Solid, benign tumors
**some highly cellular malignant lesions may appear
homogenous
Acoustic enhancement - ---Answers-----Most are cysts
-Solid benign tumors may enhance
-Good visulization of the posterior tumor wall
-Some highly cellular malignant tumors may enhance
Benign solid masses demonstrate __________ flow or are
______________. - ---Answers----no , hypovascular
,Ducts generally measure less than ____,mm, and ______ in size as
they run toward the nipple. - ---Answers----3, increase
Causes of duct dilatation or duct ectasia - ---Answers----3rd
trimester of pregnancy, lactation, perimenopause
Some dict dilatation may be ass'd with ductal carcinoma or
papillary carcinoma
Large calcification causing shadowing artifact are typically a
____________ characteristic. - ---Answers----benign
Calcifications may arise from what? - ---Answers----scarring,
necrosis, hemorrhage, cysts, or fibroadenomas
Small curvilenar calcs in the dependent portion of a cyst likely
represent what? - ---Answers----Milk of calcium
Clustered microcalcifications are common with what? - ---
Answers----Breast cancer
Benign or malignant feature: Irregular shape - ---Answers----
Malignant
,Benign or malignant feature: Spiculated - ---Answers----
Malignant
Benign or malignant feature: Vertical orientation - ---Answers--
--Malignant - aka Taller than wide
Benign or malignant feature: Microlobulation - ---Answers----
Malignant - multiple small lobulations usually 2mm
Benign or malignant feature: Ill-defined margins - ---Answers--
--Malignant. Usually indicates tumor invasion into surrounding
tissue
Benign or malignant feature: Angular margins - ---Answers----
Highly sensitive for malignancy
***Extension of a tumor into a duct coursing toward the nipple. -
---Answers----***Duct extension
***Extension of a tumor into a duct coursing away from the
nipple - usually involves multiple ducts. - ---Answers----
***Branch pattern
***A thick echogenic halo is usually _____________. - ---Answers-
---Malignant
, ***Thick echogenic halo which usually indicates tumor invasion
with fibrotic host response. - ---Answers----***Desmoplasia
Benign or malignant feature: Mildly to markedly hypoechoic. Also
described as "almost anechoic" - ---Answers----Malignant--
highly suspicious for malignancy
Benign or malignant feature: Heterogeneous texture - ---
Answers----Malignant. Except benign complex cysts and benign
tumors with internal fibrosis, degeneration or calcifications.
Benign or malignant feature: Causes shadowing - ---Answers--
--Malignant. Most solid malignant tumors demonstrate some
degree of shadowing. This may arise from only part of the lesion.
Exception: Cooper's ligaments may cause shadowing due to
refraction.
Exception: Some benign lesions such as calcifed fibroadenoma,
radial scar, and fat necrosis may cause shadowing.
The ability of a malignancy to develop new blood vessels. - ---
Answers----Angiogensis
You can/cannot distinguish benign vs. malignant based on
Doppler signals within a lesion. - ---Answers----Cannot.
complete QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED DETAILED RATIONALES
ANSWERS /GRADED A+
Benign or malignant feature: Thin, echogenic pseudocapsule - --
-Answers----Benign. Caused by compression or rimming of
adjacent tisues around the lesion (opposite of invasion)
What benign structure is anechoic? - ---Answers----Simple cyst
What benign structures are hyperechoic? - ---Answers----
Fibroglandular Pseudomass or Lipoma
What benign structures are mildly hypoechoic, isoechoic, or
mildly hyperechoic? - ---Answers----Solid, benign tumors
**some highly cellular malignant lesions may appear
homogenous
Acoustic enhancement - ---Answers-----Most are cysts
-Solid benign tumors may enhance
-Good visulization of the posterior tumor wall
-Some highly cellular malignant tumors may enhance
Benign solid masses demonstrate __________ flow or are
______________. - ---Answers----no , hypovascular
,Ducts generally measure less than ____,mm, and ______ in size as
they run toward the nipple. - ---Answers----3, increase
Causes of duct dilatation or duct ectasia - ---Answers----3rd
trimester of pregnancy, lactation, perimenopause
Some dict dilatation may be ass'd with ductal carcinoma or
papillary carcinoma
Large calcification causing shadowing artifact are typically a
____________ characteristic. - ---Answers----benign
Calcifications may arise from what? - ---Answers----scarring,
necrosis, hemorrhage, cysts, or fibroadenomas
Small curvilenar calcs in the dependent portion of a cyst likely
represent what? - ---Answers----Milk of calcium
Clustered microcalcifications are common with what? - ---
Answers----Breast cancer
Benign or malignant feature: Irregular shape - ---Answers----
Malignant
,Benign or malignant feature: Spiculated - ---Answers----
Malignant
Benign or malignant feature: Vertical orientation - ---Answers--
--Malignant - aka Taller than wide
Benign or malignant feature: Microlobulation - ---Answers----
Malignant - multiple small lobulations usually 2mm
Benign or malignant feature: Ill-defined margins - ---Answers--
--Malignant. Usually indicates tumor invasion into surrounding
tissue
Benign or malignant feature: Angular margins - ---Answers----
Highly sensitive for malignancy
***Extension of a tumor into a duct coursing toward the nipple. -
---Answers----***Duct extension
***Extension of a tumor into a duct coursing away from the
nipple - usually involves multiple ducts. - ---Answers----
***Branch pattern
***A thick echogenic halo is usually _____________. - ---Answers-
---Malignant
, ***Thick echogenic halo which usually indicates tumor invasion
with fibrotic host response. - ---Answers----***Desmoplasia
Benign or malignant feature: Mildly to markedly hypoechoic. Also
described as "almost anechoic" - ---Answers----Malignant--
highly suspicious for malignancy
Benign or malignant feature: Heterogeneous texture - ---
Answers----Malignant. Except benign complex cysts and benign
tumors with internal fibrosis, degeneration or calcifications.
Benign or malignant feature: Causes shadowing - ---Answers--
--Malignant. Most solid malignant tumors demonstrate some
degree of shadowing. This may arise from only part of the lesion.
Exception: Cooper's ligaments may cause shadowing due to
refraction.
Exception: Some benign lesions such as calcifed fibroadenoma,
radial scar, and fat necrosis may cause shadowing.
The ability of a malignancy to develop new blood vessels. - ---
Answers----Angiogensis
You can/cannot distinguish benign vs. malignant based on
Doppler signals within a lesion. - ---Answers----Cannot.
