CET Risk Assessment & Mitigation 4

Question 1

A patient arrives for a dobutamine stress echo and mentions they took their atenolol dose one hour ago. The sonographer should:

Accepted Answer

Notify the physician, as beta-blockers blunt the heart rate response and may invalidate the stress protocol

Answer

Beta-blockers blunt the chronotropic response to dobutamine, potentially preventing achievement of target heart rate and compromising study diagnostic validity.

Question 2

What is the PRIMARY purpose of having an emergency action plan (EAP) posted in the echocardiography laboratory?

Accepted Answer

To ensure all staff can respond rapidly and consistently to life-threatening patient events

Answer

An EAP provides a standardized, rehearsed response framework so staff can act efficiently during cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, or other critical events in the lab.

Question 3

A sonographer is performing a TEE on a sedated patient who suddenly becomes apneic. After calling for help, the NEXT step is to:

Accepted Answer

Remove the TEE probe and open the patient's airway using head-tilt chin-lift or jaw thrust

Answer

An obstructed or compromised airway takes absolute priority; the TEE probe must be removed immediately to allow effective airway opening and ventilation.

Question 4

When using a mechanical index (MI) above 1.9 during contrast echocardiography, the primary patient safety concern is:

Accepted Answer

Microbubble destruction causing capillary microhemorrhage in sensitive tissues

Answer

High MI can cause inertial cavitation of contrast microbubbles, potentially resulting in microhemorrhage particularly in pulmonary capillaries.

Question 5

A 68-year-old patient reports dysphagia and odynophagia during a TEE procedure. The sonographer's appropriate response is to:

Accepted Answer

Stop the procedure, remove the probe, and document the symptom for physician review

Answer

Dysphagia and odynophagia during TEE may indicate esophageal trauma and mandate immediate procedure termination and physician notification.

(CET) Certified Echocardiography Technician Practice Test

(CET) Certified Echocardiography Technician Practice Test

CET Risk Assessment & Mitigation 4