SPI Free Sample Questions

A sonographer is performing a carotid artery duplex exam and observes spectral broadening in the internal carotid artery waveform. Which of the following is the LEAST likely cause for this observation?

While imaging the liver, a sonographer encounters a highly echogenic, well-defined mass that causes a significant decrease in the amplitude of the sound beam, resulting in a dark area posterior to the structure. This artifact is best described as:

The acoustic impedance of a medium is a critical factor in determining the amount of reflection at an interface. It is calculated as the product of which two properties of the medium?

A sonographer is using a transducer with a wide bandwidth. Which of the following characteristics is most associated with this type of transducer?

In accordance with the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle, which TWO of the following actions should a sonographer prioritize to minimize patient exposure to ultrasound energy? (Select TWO)

A sonographer is having difficulty visualizing blood flow in a deep abdominal vessel using Color Doppler. The color box is filled with random, multi-colored pixels that do not correspond to true blood flow. Which control should be adjusted FIRST to resolve this issue?

During an obstetric exam, the sonographer switches from B-mode to tissue harmonic imaging (THI). What is the primary advantage of using THI in this context?

The decibel (dB) scale is used to quantify the strength of ultrasound signals. If a signal's intensity is reduced to one-tenth of its original value, what is the corresponding change in decibels?

True or False: The matching layer of an ultrasound transducer is designed to have an acoustic impedance that is the geometric mean of the impedances of the piezoelectric crystal and the skin.

When performing quality assurance checks on an ultrasound system using a standard tissue-mimicking phantom, a sonographer measures the 'dead zone'. What does this measurement evaluate?