The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from working professionals in sonography. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Sonography Examination Content Specifications and Clinical Competency Requirements.
Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of sonographers. ARRT’s examinations are job-related. That is, we only include topics if that knowledge relates directly to a clinical activity typically required for a sonographer. In May 2026, a survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 1,500 current sonographers to determine these topics. Results from these surveys were used to update the content specifications and clinical requirements.
The ARRT Sonography/Vascular Sonography Practice Analysis Committee (composed of subject matter experts from throughout the United States) began working on these documents in April 2026 and will complete work on them this fall. After that, ARRT’s Board of Trustees will review the proposed changes. The new Sonography documents have a scheduled implementation date of January 1, 2028.
SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EXAMINATION CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS:
Patient Care
- Scheduling and sequencing examinations and identification of symptomatic areas were added.
- Patient comfort and modesty and health care communication were added.
Image Production
- Microvascular flow imaging was added under modes.
- Augmentation for DVT, provocative maneuvers (e.g., extremity movement, Valsalva, sniff test) for DVT were added under sonographic techniques.
- Tardus parvus waveform was removed.
Procedures
- Portal veins and confluences was renamed portal venous system (e.g., portal venous gas, flow direction, TIPS) under Abdomen.
- Adnexa (maternal anatomy) and middle cerebral artery were added under Second and Third Trimester and High-Risk Obstetrics.
- Penile Doppler and inguinal region were added under Superficial Structures and Other Sonographic Procedures.
- Sonohysterography was added under the example list of ultrasound-guided interventional procedures.
SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
- Lung was removed from the examples of non-cardiac chest.
- Superficial masses was changed from mandatory to elective competency.
REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through an online survey (live until October 1, 2026). The survey is the official method we use to track feedback. The Sonography/Vascular Sonography Practice Analysis Committee will review all comments and may make additional changes based on your feedback.
Note: Additions are blue, and deletions are red with a strikethrough on the drafts.
Questions?
For questions about how these changes may affect your eligibility for certification and registration, call 651.687.0048 and select the option for earning an ARRT credential.
Thank you for reviewing these important documents.