6 Sections
11 Lessons
1 Week

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SECTION 01: INTRODUCTION, TERMINOLOGY & BASIC PRINCIPLES
Introduction Abdominal vascular sonography focuses on the assessment of the arterial and venous circulation of the abdomen using gray-scale imaging, color Doppler, and spectral Doppler. This section includes evaluation of the abdominal aorta, its major branches, the inferior vena cava (IVC), and the portal venous system. Many of these conditions are life-threatening if not detected early, making this section highly tested on the ARDMS Abdomen exam. Key Terminology • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA): Abdominal aorta diameter > 3 cm • Aneurysm: Focal or diffuse dilation of a vessel • True Aneurysm: Involves all three vessel wall layers • False Aneurysm (Pseudoaneurysm): Contained rupture of a vessel wall • Atherosclerosis: Plaque accumulation in arterial walls • Budd–Chiari Syndrome: Occlusion of hepatic veins ± IVC • Embolism: Obstruction caused by traveling material • Thrombus: Blood clot formed in situ • Fusiform Aneurysm: Spindle-shaped dilation • Saccular Aneurysm: Sac-like focal dilation • Intimal Flap: Sonographic sign of aortic dissection • True Lumen / False Lumen: Original vs residual vessel channel • Hepatopetal Flow: Blood flow toward the liver • Low-Resistance Flow: Persistent forward diastolic flow • High-Resistance Flow: Reduced or reversed diastolic flow
2
- 1.1
  INTRODUCTION, TERMINOLOGY & BASIC PRINCIPLES
  40 Minutes
- 1.2
  SECTION 01 -ASSESSMENT QUIZ 01
  10 Minutes10 Questions
ABDOMINAL AORTA & ARTERIAL BRANCHES
2
- 2.1
  ABDOMINAL AORTA & ARTERIAL BRANCHES
  40 Minutes
- 2.2
  SECTION 02-ASSESSMENT QUIZ 02
  10 Minutes10 Questions
ABDOMINAL AORTIC PATHOLOGY
2
- 3.1
  ABDOMINAL AORTIC PATHOLOGY
  40 Minutes
- 3.2
  SECTION 03- ASSESSMENT QUIZ 03
  10 Minutes10 Questions
VENOUS SYSTEM: IVC & PORTAL SYSTEM
2
- 4.1
  VENOUS SYSTEM: IVC & PORTAL SYSTEM
  40 Minutes
- 4.2
  SECTION 04- ASSESSMENT QUIZ 04
  10 Minutes10 Questions
COURSE MATERIALS
7
FINAL EXAM – MANDATORY FOR CERTIFICATE ISSUANCE
1
- 6.1
  The Doppler Professional Certification Exam
  10 Minutes0 Questions

ABDOMINAL AORTA & ARTERIAL BRANCHES

ABDOMINAL AORTA & ARTERIAL BRANCHES

Abdominal Aorta Anatomy

The aorta originates from the left ventricle. After passing through the aortic hiatus of the diaphragm, it becomes the abdominal aorta. It is retroperitoneal, anterior to the spine, and slightly left of midline.

Vessel Wall Layers

Tunica Intima – inner layer
Tunica Media – muscular middle layer
Tunica Adventitia (Externa) – outer layer

Normal Aortic Measurements

Proximal aorta: ≤ 2.5 cm
Mid-abdomen: ≤ 2.0 cm
Distal aorta: ≤ 1.8 cm

Doppler Flow

Suprarenal aorta: low resistance
Infrarenal aorta: high-resistance, triphasic

Celiac Trunk (Celiac Axis)

First main visceral branch of the abdominal aorta
Arises anteriorly between the diaphragmatic crura
Branches:
- Splenic artery
- Common hepatic artery
- Left gastric artery (usually not visualized)
Classic “seagull / T sign” on transverse imaging
Normal flow: low resistance

Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA)

Second major branch of the abdominal aorta
Supplies small intestine, colon, and pancreas
Identified by echogenic fat surrounding it

Flow Patterns:

Fasting: high resistance
Postprandial (30–90 min): low resistance

Failure of postprandial change suggests small bowel ischemia.

Renal, Gonadal & Inferior Mesenteric Arteries

Renal arteries: Arise below SMA; low-resistance flow
Right renal artery is longer and passes posterior to the IVC
Gonadal arteries: Below renal arteries; rarely visualized
IMA: Supplies distal colon; difficult to image

ABDOMINAL AORTA & ARTERIAL BRANCHES

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