ECHOCARDIOGRAM Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield ECHOCARDIOGRAM facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In an echocardiography reporting database, what is the purpose of structured data entry fields versus free-text fields? → Structured fields enable data mining, quality metrics, and outcome tracking
2. A patient requests that their echocardiogram results not be shared with their employer. Under HIPAA, how should the technician respond? → Honor the request and document it in the medical record
3. What does a short pulmonary artery acceleration time (<80 ms) on Doppler echocardiography indicate? → Elevated pulmonary artery pressure
4. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) measures: → Myocardial wall motion velocities
5. In the normal cardiac cycle, atrial systole contributes approximately what percentage of ventricular filling? → 20–30%
6. Why is root cause analysis important in quality improvement? → It identifies the underlying cause of problems rather than just symptoms
7. What is the purpose of a queue data structure? → To process elements in First-In-First-Out (FIFO) order
8. What is the purpose of unit testing? → To verify that individual components of code work correctly in isolation
9. Which document produced during the SDLC specifies how the echo reporting system must handle HL7 messages from the EHR? → System requirements specification (SRS)
10. The Nyquist limit in pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography is equal to: → One-half of the pulse repetition frequency
11. Ebstein's anomaly is best characterized echocardiographically by which finding? → Apical displacement of the tricuspid valve leaflets into the RV
12. In the context of echocardiography software, what is the primary purpose of user acceptance testing (UAT)? → To verify the software meets clinical workflow needs before go-live
13. Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome involves an accessory conduction pathway. Which echocardiographic finding may be associated? → Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve
14. A telehealth cardiologist is reviewing a live echocardiogram remotely. Which security consideration is most important for this transmission? → Using an encrypted, HIPAA-compliant video platform to transmit the live study
15. On an echocardiogram, which finding would suggest AV conduction delay affecting mechanical function? → Simultaneous atrial and ventricular contraction
16. Which chamber of the heart receives oxygen-poor blood from the body? → Right atrium
17. In transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe design, the phased array is mounted on a flexible endoscope primarily to: → Allow higher ultrasound frequencies without chest-wall attenuation
18. What conduction pathway is responsible for the rapid spread of electrical impulses through the ventricular myocardium? → Purkinje fiber network
19. What is the role of a code of ethics in the Echocardiogram profession? → To guide professional behavior and protect the public interest
20. In SDLC, what is 'technical debt' in the context of an aging echocardiography reporting system? → Accumulated shortcuts or outdated code that makes future changes harder and more costly
21. Which of the following is true about transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)? → It requires the patient to be sedated.
22. Which risk is most relevant to the SDLC for software that automatically measures LV ejection fraction from echo images? → Algorithm producing clinically inaccurate measurements that affect patient diagnosis
23. Before performing a transthoracic echocardiogram, what is the most important safety step regarding patient identification? → Confirm patient name and date of birth using two identifiers
24. Which echocardiographic view best demonstrates the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and pulmonic valve? → Parasternal short axis at the aortic valve level
25. How does Echocardiogram certification benefit employers? → It provides assurance of employee competence and commitment to professional standards
26. What does 'continuous integration' (CI) mean in the development of echo software? → Automatically merging and testing code changes frequently to detect defects early
27. Which Doppler modality provides the highest temporal resolution for measuring high-velocity jets such as aortic stenosis? → Continuous wave Doppler
28. Spatial compounding in echocardiography combines images from multiple steering angles to achieve what benefit? → Reduced speckle and improved border delineation
29. During a dobutamine stress echocardiogram, which finding requires immediate termination of dobutamine infusion? → New wall motion abnormality develops
30. What is the normal range for left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in adults? → 55–70%