ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) Practice Test

Which operator setting will increase the patient's exposure during a carotid duplex exam?

1. Increasing the Doppler angle

2. Increasing the pulse repetition frequency (PRF)

3. A higher baseline location

4. Increasing the Doppler gain

The correct answer is: Increasing the Doppler angle

Increasing the Doppler angle will increase the patient's exposure during a carotid duplex exam. The Doppler angle refers to the angle at which the ultrasound beam intersects with the blood flow in the vessel being examined. A larger Doppler angle means the ultrasound beam is more perpendicular to the blood flow, which leads to better Doppler shift detection but also increases the intensity of the ultrasound energy that penetrates the tissues. This increased intensity can potentially increase the patient's exposure to ultrasound energy, making it the correct answer in this scenario. Options B, C, and D are incorrect: - Increasing the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) only affects the sensitivity to flow detection and does not directly impact the patient's exposure to ultrasound energy. - A higher baseline location and increasing the Doppler gain do not directly affect patient exposure during a carotid duplex exam.