CERTIFICATION PROGRAM PREREQUISITES
- DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree.
- Member in good standing of IVUSS for the duration of the program
- At least 3 years of documentable ultrasound experience in veterinary practice with a minimum average caseload of 20 or more per month
- Active state/national licensure to practice veterinary medicine
- Ultrasound system in the practice
- 5.0 to 7.5 MHz small footprint transducer (minimum requirement) with Colorflow and Pulse Wave
- Phased Array Probe with Colorflow, Pulse Wave, and Continuous Wave Doppler capabilities
- B- and M-mode
- Linear Probe (optional)
- Three didactic and laboratory courses must be completed prior to acceptance into the program. These courses are not provided by IVUSS but must be completed independently.
- Basic Abdominal Ultrasound
- Advanced Abdominal, Soft Tissue, and Small Parts Ultrasound
- Advanced Echocardiography
- Musculoskeletal (optional but encouraged)
- Didactic training occurs with the following in the United States:
- Sound
- Sonopath
- WAVE
- Universal Ultrasound
- Oquendo at WVC (for abdominal)
- Didactic training occurs with the following In Europe and Asia:
- International Veterinary Services (IVS) in Hong Kong and China
- Singapore Veterinary Imaging (SVI) in Singapore
- The European School for Advanced Veterinary Studies (ESAVS)
- Soundiagnosis Academy in Australia
- These are the most common courses attended by certification candidates. There are numerous other courses at other organizations. Check with the IVUSS Certification Committee at [email protected] if you are about to take courses from institutions that are not listed here.
Short Course Elements:
Basic Abdomen
- Instructor: ACVR diplomate or other expert as evidenced by both publication record and acknowledged teaching and technical expertise
- Didactic Content must include:
- Principles of Ultrasound
- Beam formation
- Resolution
- Interaction with tissues
- Transducer types
- Artifacts: Types, Principles of formation, Means of avoidance, Clinical diagnostic value
- Scanning nomenclature
- Nomenclature of transducer movements
- Scan planes
- Patient scanning methodology
- Organ Systems
- Liver & Gall Bladder
- Spleen
- Kidneys & Urinary Bladder
- Genital Tract
- Female: ovaries, uterus
- Male: prostate, testicles
- Topics for each organ
- Location
- How to image
- Normal appearance
- Appearance of disease
- Case discussion
- Biopsy basic principles, indications, complications, and contraindications
- Laboratory Content (times provided are an approximate minimum per person)
- General scanning technique (15 minutes)
- Nomenclature of transducer movements
- Scan planes
- Organ Systems
- Liver & Gall Bladder (30 minutes)
- Kidneys & Urinary Bladder (30 minutes)
- Spleen (15 minutes)
Echocardiography
- Instructor: ACVIM diplomate (Internal Medicine or Cardiology) or other expert as evidenced by both publication record and acknowledged teaching and technical expertise
- Didactic Content must include:
- Scanning Nomenclature
- Scan planes
- Patient scanning methodology
- M-mode quantification
- Cardiac nomenclature
- Cursor placement
- Leading edge methodology
- CF/PW/CW Doppler instruction
- Velocity Measurement
- Pressure Gradients
- Interpretation of abnormalities
- Congenital diseases
- Pressure overload
- Volume overload
- Acquired diseases
- Primary myocardial
- Primary valvular
- Secondary myocardial
- Cor pulmonale
- Neoplasia
- Pericardial Disease
- Case studies
- Determination of Diastolic Dysfunction
- Laboratory Content
- Content (times provided are an approximate minimum per person)
- General scanning technique (30 minutes)
- Nomenclature of transducer movements
- Scan planes
- Structure identification
- Measurement techniques (45 minutes)
- RV/LV view
- Mitral valve view
- LA/Ao view
Advanced Abdomen/Soft Tissue
- Instructor: ACVR diplomate or other expert as evidenced by both publication record and acknowledged teaching and technical expertise
- Didactic Content must include:
- Advanced Principles of Ultrasound
- Digital versus Analog beam formers
- Doppler
- Advanced beam steering
- Contrast
- Organ Systems
- Abdominal Vasculature
- Abdominal Lymph Nodes
- Pancreas
- Adrenals
- Gastrointestinal Tract
- Sublumbar region (lymph nodes, vasculature, vertebra)
- Neck (thyroid, parathyroid & salivary glands)
- Non-Cardiac Thorax
- Musculoskeletal
- Topics for each organ system
- Location
- How to image
- Normal appearance
- Appearance of disease
- Case discussion
- Advanced Biopsy
- Laboratory Content (times provided are an approximate minimum per person)
- General scanning technique (15 minutes)
- Nomenclature of transducer movements
- Scan planes
- Organ Systems
- How to image
- Normal appearance
- Pancreas (20 minutes)
- Adrenals (15 minutes)
- Gastrointestinal tract (20 minutes)
- Sublumbar region (5 minutes)
- Alternative methods of covering the didactic material will be considered, including on-line
- All laboratory topics must be hands-on with designated instructor
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