• ACR Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions
• Who will be doing my test?
• What is the echocardiogram good for?
• How is the echocardiogram performed?
• How can I learn more about echocardiography?
• What is Vascular Doppler studies?
• What is Abdominal Ultrasound Imaging?
• How should I prepare for the abdominal ultrasound?
• How is the abdominal ultrasound performed?
• What is NCV Testing?
• How is NCV test performed?
• How to Prepare for NCV test?
• Why is NCV test performed?
• What is Vestibular Testing (VNG)
• Questions and Answers about EDS, Inc Screening

Before your imaging procedure be sure to ask your physician the following questions: Why is the test needed? How will having the test improve my care? Are there alternatives that do not use radiation and deliver similar results? Is the facility accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR)? Are pediatric and adult tests delivered using the appropriate radiation doses?

When you see the gold seals of accreditation prominently displayed in our imaging facility, you can be sure that you are in a facility that meets standards for imaging quality and safety. Look for the ACR Gold Seals of Accreditation. To achieve the ACR Gold Standard of Accreditation, our facility's personnel qualifications, equipment requirements, quality assurance, and quality control procedures have gone through a rigorous review process and have met specific qualifications. It's important for patients to know that every aspect of the ACR accreditation process is overseen by board-certified, expert radiologists and medical physicists in advanced diagnostic imaging.

Our facility has voluntarily gone through a vigorous review process to ensure that we meet nationally-accepted standards of care. Our personnel are well qualified, through education and certification, to perform mdical imaging, interpret your images, and administer your radiation therapy treatments. Our equipment is appropriate for the test or treatment you will receive, and our facility meets or exceeds quality assurance and safety guidelines.

When you see the ACR gold seal, you can rest assured that your prescribed imaging test will be done at a facility that has met the highest level of imaging quality and radiation safety. The facility and its personnel have gone through a comprehensive review to earn accreditation status by the American College of Radiology (ACR), the largest and oldest imaging accrediting body in the U.S. and a professional organization of 34,000 physicians.

RVT - Registered Vascular Technologist. Blood vessels and blood flow

RDCS - Registered Cardiac Technologist. Adult heart

RDMS - Abdomen /OB GYN/ Small parts. All abdominal organs, male pelvis, breast, thyroid. Pregnancy and female pelvis

A.B.R.A.T - American Board of Registration of Electroencephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists. Electrodiagnostic studies, NCV

The Value of ARDMS Credentials

For Patients - The ARDMS credential provides patients with the reassurance that the individual performing their ultrasound test has met national standards in regards to the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to high-quality sonography.

For Healthcare Providers - The physicians and allied healthcare staff who work alongside ultrasound professionals recognize that ARDMS - certified sonographers have mastered all of the key areas of sonography needed to provide them with the most critical information from every ultrasound test.

The echocardiogram reveals important information about the anatomy of the heart. It is especially useful for detecting problems with the heart valves (such as aortic stenosis or mitral valve prolapse). It is also an extremely useful test for evaluating congenital heart disease. The echocardiogram is also a good way to get a general idea of the overall function of the heart muscle.

This test may be needed if:

• You have a heart murmur.
• You've had a heart attack.
• You have unexplained chest pains.
• You've had rheumatic fever
• You have a congenital heart defect

The echocardiogram is a simple test to have done. You will lie on an examination table, and a technician will hold a transducer (a device that resembles a computer mouse) against your chest, slowly sliding it back and forth. (The technician will apply a Vaseline-like gel to your chest to aid in sliding the transducer.) You may be asked to roll on your side during the test, or hold your breath for a few seconds. The test takes 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

• Talk to your doctor, nurse or health care professional.
• If you have heart disease, members of your family also may be at high risk. It's very important for them to make changes now to lower their risk.

A duplex ultrasound is a test to see how blood moves through your arteries and veins.

The test combines traditional ultrasound with Doppler ultrasonography. Regular ultrasound uses sound waves that bounce of blood vessels to create pictures. Doppler looks at how sound waves reflect off moving objects, such as blood

There are different types of duplex ultrasound exams. Some include:

• Arterial and venous duplex ultrasound of the abdomen examines blood vessels and blood flow in the abdominal area.
• Carotid Duplex ultrasound looks at the carotid artery in the neck
• Duplex ultrasound of the extremities looks at the arms or legs
• Renal duplex ultrasound examines the kidneys

Ultrasound imaging is usually a painless medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions.

An abdominal ultrasound produces a picture of the organs and other structures in the upper abdomen.

A Doppler ultrasound study may be part of an abdominal ultrasound examination.

You should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing for your ultrasound exam.

You will need to remove all clothing and jewelry in the area to be examined.

You may be asked to wear a gown during the procedure.

Other preparations depend on the type of ultrasound you are having

• For a study of the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and pancreas, you may be asked to eat a fat-free meal on the evening before the test and then to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test
• For ultrasound of the kidneys, you may be asked to drink four to six glasses of liquid about an hour before the test to fill your bladder. You may be asked to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test to avoid gas buildup in the intestines.
• For ultrasound of the aorta, you may need to avoid eating for eight to 12 hours before the test.

For most ultrasound exams, the patient is positioned lying face-up on an examination table that can be tilted or moved.

A clear gel is applied to the area of the body being studied to help the transducer make secure contact with the body and eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. The sonographer (ultrasound technologist) or radiologist then presses the transducer firmly against the skin and sweeps it back and forth over the area of interest

Doppler sonography is performed using the same transducer

When the examination is complete, the patient may be asked to dress and wait while the ultrasound images are reviewed. However, the sonographer or radiologist is often able to review the ultrasound images in real-time as they are acquired and the patient can be released immediately

This ultrasound examination is usually completed within 30 minutes

Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test of the speed of signals through a nerve.

Patches called surface electrodes, similar to those used for ECG, are placed on the skin over the nerve at various locations. Each patch gives off a very mild electrical impulse, which stimulates the nerve.

The nerve's resulting electrical activity is recorded by the other electrodes. The distance between electrodes and the time it takes for electrical impulses to travel between electrodes are used to determine the speed of the nerve signals.

Electromyography is often done at the same time as this test.

Normal body temperature must be maintained (low body temperature slows nerve conduction).

Tell your doctor if you have a cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker, as precautions may need to be taken.

The impulse may feel like an electric shock. Depending on how strong the stimulus is, you will feel it to varying degrees, and it may be uncomfortable you. You should feel no pain once the test is finished.

Often the nerve conduction test is followed by electromyography (EMG) which involves needles being placed into the muscle and you contracting that muscle. This can be uncomfortable during the test, and you may feel muscle soreness at the site of the needles afterwards as well.

This test is used to diagnose nerve damage or destruction. Occasionally, the test may be used to evaluate diseases of nerve or muscle, including myopathy, Lambert-Eaton syndrome, or myasthenia gravis.

VNG (VideoElectronystagmography) testing is comprised of a series of tests that look for signs of vestibular dysfunction by measuring eye movements using infrared technology. VNG is the new standard in balance testing because it's one of the only tests that can measure vestibular loss bilaterally rather than unilaterally, resulting in more accurate test results. The testing is noninvasive and more comfortable to the patient.

The eyes and inner ear work together to send signals to the brain about the body's position. The brain uses this information in conjunction with sensory input from the body's muscles to orient the body and maintain balance. VNG testing examines nystagmus (eye movement) to assess the relationship between eye movement and the inner ear.

In VNG testing the patient wears goggles and the eye movements are recorded by an infrared camera. The patient will be asked to follow objects that move erratically, move consistently, or remain stationary. The eye movements are recorded and analyzed by VNG software. Difficulty following visual targets could indicate a neurological problem.

VNG testing includes nystagmus testing, optokinetic and positional. In optokinetic nystagmus testing the patient will be asked to view a large image that continually moves. This test tracks the ability of the eyes to remain on the object; slowness in tracking may indicate a neurological problem.

A. The answer is anyone after the age of 50 who want to be proactive about his or her health. There are types of risk factors that you cannot control like age and family history of stroke and you may wish to be screened even if you are in your 40s. You should screen if you smoke, obese or have high blood pressure.

A. The actual testing takes around 15 minutes. We ask you to be on time to allow extra time for filling out a form with your address to where the results will be mailed.

A. If we find out a life-threatening condition during the time of the test, we will notify you immediately so you can contact your doctor. Otherwise, your test will be reviewed by a board certified radiologist and mailed to you within 14 days

A. Doctors are restricted from ordering a diagnostic study unless you have symptoms. Many of the diseases we screen for have no warning signs or symptoms. Insurance companies will not pay for the ordered test as a preventive measure. Our goal is to find out whether you have a risk or not before the problem occurs.

A. Medicare generally does not allow for coverage of vascular screenings. Insurance coverage varies from policy to policy. However, we will provide you with a detailed receipt that can be submitted to your insurance company to determine coverage. You should also make a copy of your results to send along.

A. Scheduling is required either by calling 800-373-1843 or www.edslive.com/screening Please call or log in as soon as possible to insure appointment availability for your screening.