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| Breast Exam |
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Exam Content Outline
The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers publishes its exam outlines and other important information on its website ( www.ARDMS.org). Visit the site for complete information about applying for and taking the registry examinations. The outline for each exam indicates the approximate percentage of the exam that a particular topic represents. This information is important because it indicates the relative importance of each topic and allows you to study more effectively. For example, the topic of normal anatomy represents 20% of the Breast exam, whereas invasive procedures represent 5%.
The complete outline for the Breast specialty examination appears below.
| I. Breast instrumentation and technique (20%) |
A. System setup
B. Transducers
C. Grayscale
D. Doppler (Color and Power)
1. Pressure
2. Set-up
E. Physical exam
F. Mammographic correlation (location and features)
G. Annotation
H. Standoff pads
I. Scan planes
J. Compressibility
K. Echo-palpation
L. Artifact
M. Positioning
N. Indications |
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II. Normal anatomy (20%) |
A. Ducts (TDLU)
B. Fibrous planes
C. Skin
D. Superficial fascia
E. Mammary zone
F. Deep Fascia
G. Pectoralis
H. Ribs
I. LN’s (internal mammary, axillary, intramammary)
J. Mammo Vs U/S appearance
K. Pregnancy induced changes
L. Involutional changes |
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III. Benign vs. Malignant Features (25%) |
A.Sharpness of Margins
B. Contour of margins
C. Border thickness and echogenicity
D. Shape/orientation
E. Echogenicity
F. Heterogeneity
G. Compressibility
H. Vascularity
I. Effects on Fibrous Planes
J. Effects on Ducts
K. Calcifications
L. Lymph nodes
M. Skin thickening |
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IV. Specific Lesions—Benign (10%) |
A. Cyst—simple, complex, debris, thick fluid, wall, through
B. Transmission
C. Sebaceous Cyst
D. Fibrocystic nodules
E. Fibroadenoma
F. Papilloma
G. Lipoma
H. Hamartoma
I. Inflammation & Infection—abscess, mastitis, edema
J. Traumatic changes—fat necrosis, seroma, scarring
K. Gynecomastia |
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V. Specific Lesions—Malignant (10%) |
A. DCIS/LCIS
B. Invasive Lesions- ductal, lobular, colloid, medullary, multifocal
C. Phyllodes
D. Lymphoma
E. Metastasis |
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VI. Other (10%) |
A. MRI appearance: implant leakage, cancer, nodes
B. Ductography
C. Sentinel Node Procedure
D. Histology
E. Implants |
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VII. Invasive Procedures (5%) |
A. Localizations
B. Core Biopsy
C. FNA
D. Mammotomy
E. Abbi
F. Cyst Aspiraton |
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