Quality Assurance and Phantoms Flashcards
7 cards from real ARDMS SPI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Quality Assurance and Phantoms flashcards as text
What AIUM-recommended QA frequency is typically suggested for clinical ultrasound equipment used daily?
Answer: Weekly or monthly performance testing with documented records
The AIUM recommends regular (weekly to monthly) QA testing with documented records to detect and trend performance changes before they affect clinical outcomes.
In ultrasound QA, what is the significance of measuring the -6 dB beam width at the focal zone?
Answer: It quantifies lateral resolution at the focal depth
The -6 dB beam width at the focal zone corresponds to the minimum lateral separation at which two point targets can be resolved, directly defining lateral resolution.
A sonographer compares current QA phantom images to baseline and notes reduced image brightness at depth despite unchanged gain settings. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: Transducer sensitivity has decreased due to element degradation
Decreased transducer sensitivity from element aging or damage reduces the amplitude of returning echoes, manifesting as reduced brightness at depth.
Which of the following phantom measurements is most useful for evaluating the effectiveness of harmonic imaging compared to fundamental imaging?
Answer: Contrast-detail analysis comparing anechoic cyst visibility
Comparing anechoic cyst detectability between fundamental and harmonic modes reveals harmonic imaging's improvement in contrast resolution by reducing reverberation and clutter.
During QA of a color Doppler system using a flow phantom, the color signal disappears below a certain depth. What does this finding most likely indicate?
Answer: Doppler sensitivity has degraded at depth, possibly due to element dropout
Loss of color Doppler signal at depth despite adequate flow in the phantom suggests reduced sensitivity, often from failing transducer elements that cannot detect low-amplitude Doppler shifts at distance.
What does 'test object fog' refer to in the context of ultrasound phantom QA?
Answer: Low-level echoes that fill anechoic targets due to electronic noise or reverberation
Test object fog describes low-level echoes that fill supposedly anechoic cysts, caused by system noise, reverberation, or electronic noise degrading contrast resolution.
Which phantom design feature allows simultaneous assessment of both axial and lateral resolution in a single image acquisition?
Answer: Pin targets arranged in an L-shaped pattern at known separations axially and laterally
An L-shaped arrangement of pin targets provides known separations along both the axial and lateral directions, enabling measurement of both resolution parameters in one scan.