RDMS Abdomen
Abdomen (AB) - ARDMS RDMS Specialty Examination
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
RDMS Abdomen (AB) is the specialty examination that, together with the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam, qualifies a sonographer for Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) certification. ARDMS administers it, and it is built for sonographers who perform abdominal ultrasound - evaluating the soft tissues, blood vessels, and organs of the human abdomen - and who want a credential that hospitals, imaging centers, and specialty practices recognize.
The exam assesses basic abdominal anatomy, perfusion and function, pathology, vascular abnormalities, trauma, postoperative anatomy, abdominal physics, and clinical care and practice. Expect approximately 165 questions over three hours, delivered as multiple choice plus hotspot items in which you answer by marking directly on an image. Scoring is pass/fail on a point scale of 300 to 700, with 555 or better passing; it is neither a percentage nor a curve. The content is kept current: the most recent job task analysis is dated 2026, and a new AB content outline takes effect for exams delivered on or after May 13, 2027.
Prepare by downloading the content outline that matches your exam date and building a rotation across all eight areas, then drilling abdominal protocols, normal anatomy, and the pathology and vascular cases you encounter clinically. Because hotspot questions test image recognition rather than recall, practise marking findings on still images, and sit timed mock exams to settle your pacing before test day.
What you'll study
About RDMS Abdomen preparation
How long is the AB exam, and how many questions does it contain?
Plan for approximately three hours and roughly 165 questions. Most items are standard multiple choice, but some are hotspot questions where you answer by marking directly on an image, and there is a short five-minute survey. Because image-based items cannot be skimmed quickly, establish your pacing early and leave time to revisit flagged questions.
What score do I need to pass?
Scoring is pass/fail on a point scale from 300 to 700, and 555 or better passes. It is not a percentage and not curve-based, so you cannot convert a practice-test percentage into a predicted score. Your score report is issued at the test center, appears in your Pearson account, and posts to your Inteleos portal within one week.
Do I have to pass the SPI exam as well?
Yes. The AB exam is a qualifying specialty exam for RDMS certification, and the SPI exam is also required. You must pass both within five years of each other, in any order. ARDMS describes SPI as the foundation exam for its certifications, so many candidates sit SPI first and then concentrate on abdominal content.
If I fail, how soon can I retake the exam?
You can reapply three days after a failed attempt, but you must wait 60 days before actually retaking the exam. Use that gap deliberately: review your score report, identify which content areas pulled the score down, and rebuild the plan around them rather than repeating the routine that produced the first result.
How much does it cost, and when can I take it?
The exam fee is $300 USD. Both the application window and the exam window run year-round, so there is no fixed testing season to plan around - you can apply whenever your preparation and schedule line up. Confirm current scheduling availability at a test center near you before committing to a date.
Which content outline should I study from?
Use the outline that matches your exam date. ARDMS has announced a new AB content outline that goes into effect for exams delivered on or after May 13, 2027; exams delivered before that date are built from the outline currently posted. Download the correct version first, because emphasis can shift between outlines.
How difficult is the AB exam?
ARDMS publishes pass rates by administration. In 2023, 72% of first-time takers passed and the overall pass rate was 64%, with the preceding years in a similar range. First-time candidates consistently outperform repeat takers, which suggests a structured, outline-driven first attempt is the highest-yield strategy.
What topics does the exam actually cover?
Eight areas: basic abdominal anatomy, perfusion and function, pathology, vascular abnormalities, trauma, postoperative anatomy, abdominal physics, and clinical care and practice. The underlying job task analysis was most recently updated in 2026 to reflect real-world practice, so expect questions framed around clinical tasks - recognising a finding on an image, not simply naming a structure.
What are the most common ways candidates lose points?
Two patterns dominate. First, anatomy and vascular recall without image recognition - candidates can name a structure but cannot locate it on a grayscale image under time pressure. Second, uneven coverage: deep study of liver pathology while physics, instrumentation artefacts, and postoperative anatomy go untouched. Every area appears on the exam, so a balanced rotation beats a single-topic deep dive.