ARRT Sonography study guide
ARRT Sonography · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
ARRT certification and registration in Sonography is a credential that recognizes individuals who are qualified to perform the role of a sonographer. Sonographers-also called ultrasound technologists-work in hospitals, doctors' offices, and diagnostic clinics, operating specialized equipment that uses nonionizing, high-frequency sound waves to create images of a patient's internal organs and tissues, including imaging of an unborn child. The credential is aimed at students in sonography educational programs as well as already-credentialed R.T.s who want to add sonography; candidates enter through ARRT's primary eligibility pathway. Exam content is defined by ARRT's Examination Content Specifications, which outline the topics that appear on the sonography exams; a separate Task Inventory lists the job responsibilities typically required of technologists working in sonography. The ARRT Sonography study guide has 5 sections and about 1,398 words.
01Patient Care and Safety
Two independent identifiers - name plus date of birth or medical record number - must be confirmed before every examination; room or bed number is never an identifier. Informed consent is a process with three elements: patient capacity, disclosure of risks, benefits, and alternatives, and voluntariness.
303 words, about 2 min02Physics and Instrumentation
Ultrasound is a mechanical, longitudinal wave. Frequency is determined by the transducer; propagation speed is determined by the medium (about 1540 m/s in soft tissue).
304 words, about 2 min03Abdomen
The liver is evaluated for size, echotexture, and focal lesions, with the portal vein (echogenic walls), hepatic veins (non-echogenic walls), IVC, and common bile duct identified separately. Normal gallbladder wall is under 3 mm; stones shadow, sludge layers and does not, and polyps are fixed without shadowing.
273 words, about 1 min04Obstetrics and Gynecology
A gestational sac is visible transvaginally around 4.5–5 weeks. Evaluate sac location, yolk sac, and embryo.
259 words, about 1 min05Superficial Structures and Other Sonographic Procedures
The thyroid is assessed for size, echotexture, and nodules. Suspicious nodule features include hypoechogenicity, microcalcifications, irregular margins, and a taller-than-wide shape.
259 words, about 1 min