Exam Requirements: General Ultrasound (Revised 5-13-2025)

Exam Requirements: General Ultrasound Accreditation

Abdomen Complete

Liver

• Complete documentation in longitudinal

  • At least three gray scale images of the left lobe to include lateral, mid, medial

  • At least three gray scale images of the right lobe to include lateral, mid, medial

• Complete documentation in transverse

  • At least three gray scale images of the left lobe to include superior, mid, inferior

  • At least three gray scale images of the right lobe to include superior, mid, inferior

• Vascular anatomy

Gallbladder

• Complete documentation in longitudinal and transverse, may require more than one patient position

**Effective January 1, 2026**

• Complete documentation in longitudinal in the supine and left lateral decubitus positions

• At least two gray scale images in each patient position

                                                               OR

• Longitudinal gray scale cine clip of the gallbladder from medial to lateral in each patient position

• At least one static gray scale image of the gallbladder in longitudinal in each patient position

• Complete documentation in transverse in the supine and left lateral decubitus positions

• At least two gray scale images in each patient position

                                                               OR

• Transverse gray scale cine clip of the gallbladder from superior to inferior in each patient position

• At least one static gray scale image of the gallbladder in transverse in each patient position

Biliary Duct

• Measurement of the extrahepatic duct

Pancreas

• Complete transverse (long axis of organ) documentation to include head, body, tail

Kidneys

• Complete documentation in longitudinal

• At least three gray scale images to include lateral, mid without measurement, medial

                                                             OR

• Longitudinal gray scale cine clip from medial to lateral throughout both kidneys

• At least one static gray scale of each kidney (mid kidney) in longitudinal without measurement

• Complete documentation in transverse

• At least three gray scale images to include upper pole, mid without measurement, lower pole

                                                             OR

• Transverse gray scale cine clip from superior to inferior throughout both kidneys

• At least one static gray scale image of each kidney (mid kidney) in transverse without measurement

• Renal length

Spleen

• Complete gray scale documentation in longitudinal and transverse

• Longitudinal measurement of the spleen **Effective January 1, 2026**

Aorta

• Longitudinal gray scale documentation – proximal, mid, distal

IVC

• Longitudinal gray scale documentation - proximal

Renal

Complete documentation in longitudinal 

• At least three gray scale images to include lateral, mid without measurement, medial

                                                            OR

• Longitudinal gray scale cine clip form medial to lateral throughout both kidneys

• At least one static gray scale image of each kidney (mid kidney) in longitudinal without measurement

Complete documentation in transverse 

• At least three gray scale images to include upper pole, mid without measurement, lower pole

                                                            OR

• Transverse gray scale cine clip from superior to inferior throughout both kidneys

• At least one static gray scale image of each kidney (mid kidney) in transverse without measurement

Renal length

Scrotal

Complete documentation of testes in longitudinal 

• At least three gray scale images to include lateral, mid without measurements, medial

  OR

• Cine clip of each testicle in longitudinal from medial to lateral

• At least one static gray scale image of each testicle in longitudinal without measurements

Complete documentation of testes in transverse 

• At least three gray scale images to include superior, mid without measurements, inferior

  OR

• Cine clip of each testicle in transverse from superior to inferior

• At least one static gray scale image of each testicle in transverse without measurements

Measurement of testes - length, height (AP), width

Documentation of epididymis and other peritesticular structures

Evaluation with color and/or spectral Doppler imaging

Thyroid

Complete documentation of both lobes in longitudinal 

• At least three gray scale images to include lateral, mid without measurements, medial

  OR

• Cine clip of each lobe in longitudinal from medial to lateral

• At least one static gray scale image of each lobe in longitudinal without measurements

Complete documentation of both lobes in transverse 

• At least three gray scale images to include superior, mid without measurements, inferior

  OR

• Cine clips of each lobe in transverse from superior to inferior

• At least one static gray scale image of each lobe in transverse without measurements

Measurement of both lobes – length, height (AP), width

Transverse gray scale isthmus without and with AP measurement

Transrectal Prostate

Complete documentation in longitudinal 

• At least three gray scale images to include right lateral, mid without measurements, left lateral

Complete documentation in transverse/coronal 

• At least three gray scale images to include apex, mid without measurements, base

Size – obtain three measurements from two orthogonal planes

Documentation of periprostatic structures

Revision History for this Article

Date

Section

Description of Revision(s)

12-12-19

All

Article created; FAQs incorporated; No criteria changes

1-27-2020

Clarified required exams and separated exam requirements for gallbladder and biliary duct.

2-26-2020

Scrotum

Changed "Doppler utilized when indicated" to "Evaluation with color and/or spectral Doppler Imaging"

6-2-2020

Added complete documentation description

8-3-2020

Added additional complete documentation descriptions in complete upper abdominal exam (liver and kidneys), renal exam, scrotum exam, thyroid exam and transrectal prostate exam.

4-21-2021

Complete Upper Abdominal

Removed "and ductal" from liver anatomy

4-21-2021

Scrotum

Added "Size of testes" evaluation requirement

1-21-2022

Updated exam requirements

5-10-2022

Complete Upper Abdominal

Moved "renal length" bullet to be in-line with complete documentation

11-9-2022

Removed shoulder exam

8-23-2024

Added link to the Modalities with Low Volume or Emergency Use article

5-13-25

Abdomen Complete

Updated Gallbladder requirements

Updated Kidney requirements

Updated Spleen requirements

Renal

Updated renal requirements