Practice Test Geeks(NBE) National Board of Echocardiography Practice Test
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Transthoracic Echocardiography Flashcards

7 cards from real NBE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Transthoracic Echocardiography flashcards as text

  1. Which TTE view best visualizes the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) for Doppler interrogation?

    Answer: Apical five-chamber

    The apical five-chamber view aligns the ultrasound beam parallel to flow through the LVOT, enabling accurate PW and CW Doppler measurements.

  2. A patient has a mitral valve area of 0.9 cm² by planimetry. This finding is consistent with which severity of mitral stenosis?

    Answer: Severe (MVA < 1.0 cm²)

    An MVA < 1.0 cm² meets the echocardiographic criterion for severe mitral stenosis per ASE/ACC/AHA guidelines.

  3. On M-mode echocardiography, an E-point septal separation (EPSS) of 15 mm most likely indicates:

    Answer: Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction

    EPSS > 7 mm correlates with reduced LVEF; an EPSS of 15 mm strongly suggests significant systolic dysfunction.

  4. Which of the following is the most reliable echocardiographic sign of cardiac tamponade?

    Answer: Right ventricular diastolic collapse

    Right ventricular free wall diastolic collapse occurs when pericardial pressure transiently exceeds RV diastolic pressure, signaling tamponade physiology.

  5. The proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method calculates regurgitant flow rate using which formula?

    Answer: 2π r² × aliasing velocity

    PISA flow rate = 2π r² × Va, where r is the PISA radius and Va is the aliasing (Nyquist) velocity.

  6. In a patient with suspected hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), which echocardiographic finding is most characteristic?

    Answer: Asymmetric septal hypertrophy with systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve

    HOCM classically shows asymmetric septal hypertrophy and SAM of the anterior mitral leaflet, which causes dynamic LVOT obstruction.

  7. Which Doppler parameter is used to estimate mean right atrial pressure when evaluating inferior vena cava (IVC) size and collapsibility?

    Answer: IVC diameter and respiratory variation

    ASE guidelines use IVC diameter (< or ≥ 2.1 cm) combined with ≥ 50% inspiratory collapse to estimate RAP as 3 mmHg or ≥ 8 mmHg.

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