DDU(Vascular) - Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine

DDU(Vascular) SyllabusMODULE 3: Advanced Ultrasound PracticeLEARNING OBJECTIVESIn order to successfully complete the DDU (Vascular) candidates are expected to be ableto demonstrate, in relation to the list of major clinical areas as listed under “MajorTopics”, the following:• Ability to obtain a detailed, relevant clinical history.• Ability to conduct the ultrasound examination in an appropriately effective mannertaking into consideration the environment, and the patient’s privacy, cultural andreligious needs.• Understanding of, and skills involved in, producing and recognising an accurateand valid ultrasound examination and resultant data, including protocols for, andnormal ranges of, standard measurements and haemodynamic spectral analysisincluding calculations/indices.• Detailed knowledge of relevant: anatomy; physiology; haemodynamics; andpathology.• Detailed knowledge of other diagnostic methods used in vascular diagnosisincluding: ankle-brachial index (ABI); exercise testing; plethysmography;angiography and venography; magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) andcomputed tomography angiography (CTA).• Ability to determine the need for further information such as: extension of theultrasound examination; other tests; further clinical information; follow-upexaminations.• Competence in the recognition of sonographic appearances and relevantinformation including: normal anatomy, physiology and hemodynamics; normalvariants; artifacts; abnormalities of vascular structure, course of vessels,haemodynamics and function.• Detailed knowledge of vascular non-surgical treatments, surgical andinterventional procedures and the relationship of these to ultrasound assessmentand diagnosis.• Competence in determining appropriate provisional diagnosis/diagnoses as aresult of the ultrasound examination and in conjunction with other available clinicalinformation as relevant.• Appreciation of the more rarely seen/uncommon pathologies which may beassociated with the vasculature and related structures.• Ability to perform and/or be able to interpret advanced ultrasound techniques suchas contrast studies and 3D ultrasound as and when required to aid in thediagnosis.• Recognition of any limitations of the ultrasound examination, including technicallimitations and artifacts, and the effect of these on diagnosis and clinicalmanagement.• Ability to prepare a detailed report including information on findings/diagnoses,any limitations of the examination, correlation of findings with other relevantinformation, requirements/suggestions for further testing or follow-upexaminations.16