RVT Quality Assurance and Safety 3

Question 1

A carotid duplex study is flagged during a QA review because the ICA/CCA PSV ratio is 4.2 but the ICA PSV is only 110 cm/s. What is the BEST next step?

Accepted Answer

Correlate with waveform morphology and assess for contralateral occlusion

Answer

A high ICA/CCA ratio with a low absolute PSV suggests a low cardiac output state or contralateral ICA occlusion causing compensatory flow changes; clinical correlation is essential.

Question 2

Which accreditation body specifically focuses on vascular testing laboratories and requires compliance with published testing protocols?

Accepted Answer

Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for Vascular Laboratories (ICAVL)

Answer

ICAVL is the primary accrediting body dedicated to vascular laboratories and evaluates physician oversight, equipment quality, personnel qualifications, and testing protocols.

Question 3

When establishing normal reference ranges for a vascular lab's ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements, the data should be stratified by:

Accepted Answer

Patient age, sex, and clinical indication

Answer

ABI reference ranges and interpretation thresholds can vary with patient demographics and clinical context, so stratification ensures the lab's internal norms reflect its specific patient population.

Question 4

What does the term 'sentinel event' mean in the context of vascular laboratory patient safety?

Accepted Answer

An unexpected occurrence involving death or serious physical harm to a patient

Answer

The Joint Commission defines a sentinel event as an unexpected occurrence that results in death, permanent harm, or severe temporary harm, requiring immediate investigation and response.

Question 5

A technologist notices the real-time B-mode image has a 'dropout' artifact in the far field during routine phantom testing. The MOST likely cause is:

Accepted Answer

Air bubble trapped between the transducer and the phantom surface

Answer

Air has very high acoustic impedance mismatch with tissue/gel, causing near-total reflection and creating acoustic shadowing that eliminates signal in deeper structures.

(RVT) Registered Vascular Technologist Practice Test

(RVT) Registered Vascular Technologist Practice Test

RVT Quality Assurance and Safety 3