3. Practical Examination
The participant should be able to use extracranial and transcranial colour duplex sonography in addition to Doppler sonography.
The examinee will be confronted with one of two possible tasks depending on the decision of the local organizer of the test:
A - Unilateral examination of a subject without major pathology, without transmission problems of the scull:
The examinee must image and document the following arteries of one side, including angle correction for velocity measurements (where applicable):
- Supratrochlear A. (branch of the ophthalmic artery) (CW)
- ICA at the origin and 2-3 cm downstream (Colour Duplex)
- VA (V3, V2 or V0/1) (Colour Duplex)
- MCA (PW or Colour Duplex)
B - Examination of a patient with well defined pathology. The test should focus on to the pathology.
3.1 Details of the Practical Examination
3.1.1 | Allotted time for the practical test not more than 30 min. Each applicant will perform the exam under supervision of two members of the international certification committee (or nominated examiners of equal experience). Not more than 1 examiner should be from the same country as the examinee. |
3.1.2 | The applicant can familiarize with the devices beforehand and will be given technical support during the exam. |
3.1.3 | In case of stenosis the participant has to classify the finding into degree of disease (verbal description): low, moderate, severe, near occlusive, total occlusion. |
3.1.4 | The participant has to present the criteria he is applying for quantification of the neurosonologic test including ECST or NASCET criteria referring to the angiogram. |
3.1.5 Criterion to pass should be that the participant:
In case of examining a patient
- Describes the finding without misclassifying of more than one degree (as described above) of stenosis
- Classifies correctly in occlusion versus stenosis.
In case of examining a subject:
- Is able to differentiate and document correctly the above mentioned arteries in the allotted time.
G.-Michael von Reutern, M.D.
Commission Chair
NSRG Advisory Board
Eva Bartels, M.D.
Commission Vice Chair
Educational Coordinator of the ESNCH