Vascular Surgery

Ultrasound requirements for Fellowship in Vascular Surgery

Logbook

Before admission to the Fellowship examination, candidates shall provide evidence of training in the form of a logbook. This training should include 100 hours of ultrasound scanning, and should cover a wide variety of ultrasound examinations.

View a sample logbook (PDF). Candidates should be able to perform the following scans:

• Carotid duplex
• Venous mapping (for conduit)
• Lower limb arterial duplex
• Treadmill test
• Bypass graft surveillance
• DVT scan
• Abdominal aorta scan for AAA

Candidates should have some experience in, but not necessarily be able to perform:

• Venous insufficiency duplex
• Renal/mesenteric artery duplex
• Aorto-iliac duplex

Casebook

A casebook containing ten cases selected to illustrate the breadth and quality of the candidates' work is required.
Cases involving an examination reported as normal should not be included.
In preparing the casebook, which is to be constructed and compiled by the candidates themselves, each case presentation should give details of the request, copies of a limited number of images in digital format, a copy of the report issued, and a short commentary (not exceeding 500 words) indicating how the examination has assisted in diagnosis and/or management, and mentioning any operative or pathology follow up. The commentary should be prepared with the care required for a published paper, and references listed in the format prescribed for current refereed journals. Pages cited should be specified and the latest edition of a textbook quoted.

Modules

One of the modules is entitled "Principles of Imaging ' (login required to view this module). A large component of this module is devoted to vascular ultrasound, and must be completed as part of ultrasound training.

Fellowship Examination

Vascular ultrasound will be an integral part of the examination. Candidates may expect questions on vascular ultrasound in the written examination, in particular relating to:

• Ultrasound physics
• Biological effects
• Artifacts and their cause
• The clinical value and limitations of ultrasound

Candidates may also expect to answer questions on vascular ultrasound in the long case and in the anatomy/imaging viva.