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Programming Fundamentals Flashcards

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

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  1. What is the function of the sample volume in pulsed-wave Doppler echocardiography?

    Answer: Defines the specific depth and axial length from which Doppler signals are collected

    The sample volume (gate) allows the operator to interrogate flow at a precise depth and location by controlling pulse timing.

  2. Which setting must the sonographer optimize to accurately align Doppler interrogation with the direction of blood flow?

    Answer: Angle of insonation

    Accurate Doppler velocity measurement requires the beam to be parallel (≤20°) to flow; errors in angle cause significant underestimation of velocity.

  3. During tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), how should the wall filter be set compared to standard spectral Doppler?

    Answer: Lower, to preserve the low-velocity, high-amplitude myocardial signals

    TDI measures slow myocardial motion (velocities of 5–20 cm/s), so the wall filter must be set low to avoid filtering out the target signals.

  4. A technician is programming a 3D echocardiographic acquisition. Which trade-off is inherent to increasing volume rate in 3D echo?

    Answer: Reduced spatial resolution or narrower pyramidal volume at higher volume rates

    3D volume rate (volumes/second) competes with spatial resolution and volume size; faster rates require either fewer scan lines or a smaller acquisition pyramid.

  5. What is the Nyquist limit in pulsed-wave Doppler, and what determines it?

    Answer: One-half of the pulse repetition frequency, setting the maximum unambiguous velocity

    Aliasing occurs when flow velocity exceeds the Nyquist limit, which equals PRF/2; increasing PRF raises this limit.

  6. Which machine adjustment will shift the baseline of a spectral Doppler display to reveal the full extent of a high-velocity retrograde jet?

    Answer: Baseline shift downward (toward the retrograde direction)

    Shifting the baseline gives more display space to the direction of interest without changing the Nyquist limit, allowing a larger portion of retrograde flow to be seen before aliasing.

  7. When optimizing M-mode sweep speed for measuring LVEF with the Teichholz method, which sweep speed is standard?

    Answer: 50 mm/s

    50 mm/s is the standard sweep speed for M-mode recordings used in linear LVEF calculations, providing adequate temporal separation of systole and diastole.