November 1, 2012 – The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) will recognize The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists’ (ARRT) general sonography certification earned by individuals after January 1, 2013, as an accepted credential for sonographers in practices accredited by AIUM in general abdominal, obstetrics and/or gynecologic ultrasound. Sonographers earning ARRT’s general sonography certification – R.T.(S)(ARRT) – after that date will satisfy AIUM practice accreditation standards.
Ultrasound practice accreditation is designed to set a standard of quality for the performance of basic ultrasound procedures. AIUM’s standards specify training, experience, credentialing and continuing education requirements for medical staff and personnel who perform and interpret diagnostic ultrasound examinations.
Beginning January 1, 2013, applicants for ARRT’s general sonography certification will encounter two changes. First, passing the sonography exam will require passing the overall exam as well as both the obstetrical/gynecological procedures and the abdominal procedures sections. Second, all sonographers certified by ARRT will be required to complete 16 of their 24 biennial CE credits in sonography-specific activities.
In 2011, ARRT increased the total number of sonography exam questions from 270 to 400 questions as a result of recent and ongoing collaboration between AIUM and ARRT. ARRT’s general sonography certification exam covers patient care and physical principles of ultrasound, as well as sonography procedures involving the abdomen and pelvis, obstetrics and gynecology, superficial structures and non-cardiac chest. Candidates for ARRT’s general sonography certification are not required to have radiography education or experience, but must have either recently completed an appropriately accredited educational program or meet sonography clinical experience requirements along with ongoing ethics, continuing education and continuing qualifications requirements.
ARRT’s general sonography certification is one of three sonography-related credentials from ARRT, which also offers certification programs in 12 additional medical imaging, interventional procedure and radiation therapy disciplines. ARRT’s general sonography certification has been a practice accreditation standard for the American College of Radiology (ACR) since the certification program’s inception in 2000. ARRT’s vascular sonography certification is a practice accreditation standard for the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission’s (IAC) Vascular Testing standards, and ARRT’s breast sonography is a practice accreditation standard for ACR and AIUM.
For more information: www.arrt.org.
July 24, 2024 
