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ARRT Seeks Comments on Proposed Changes to Vascular Sonography Documents

Published on Sep 11, 2026

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from working professionals in vascular sonography. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Vascular Sonography Examination Content Specifications and Clinical Requirements.

Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of vascular 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 vascular sonographer. In May 2026, a survey of possible tasks and procedures was sent to 1,700 current vascular 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 Vascular 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

Image Production

  • Microvascular flow imaging and B-flow were added under modes
  • Types of waveforms were listed under differentiation of normal and abnormal spectral waveforms. Renal-aortic ratio (RAR) was added under measurements from spectral analysis

Procedures

  • Digital and thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) were added under the Arterial Peripheral Vasculature section
  • Toe-brachial index (TBI) was added under pressure testing in the same section
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) was added under the Venous Peripheral Vasculature section
  •  Posterior tibial, gastrocnemius, anterior tibial, and peroneal replaced calf veins
  • Venous ablation was added under post interventional studies in the Cerebral Vasculature and Other Sonographic Procedures section

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

  • Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) was added under upper extremity vasculature (arterial and venous) as an elective under Upper Extremity Vasculature
  • Toe-brachial index (TBI) was added under pressure testing under Pressure Testing
  • Pseudoaneurysm treatment was moved to post-procedure complications and treatments

SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

  • Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) was added as an elective under Upper Extremity Vasculature.
  • Toe-brachial index (TBI) was added as an elective procedure under Upper Extremity Vasculature
  • Pseudoaneurysm treatment was moved to post-procedure complications and treatments under Post-interventional Studies
  • The number of elective procedures required decreased from 100 to 60 repetitions. Forty additional repetitions may be from the mandatory or elective procedures list.


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.