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Abdomen (AB) Examination
The Abdomen (AB) examination is the ARDMS abdomen specialty examination and one of the two qualifying exams (with the SPI exam) for the RDMS credential: candidates must pass both within five years of each other. The roughly 165-question, three-hour exam uses multiple-choice and hotspot (mark-on-image) items covering abdominal anatomy, perfusion and function, pathology, vascular abnormalities, trauma, postoperative anatomy, abdominal physics, and clinical care and practice, and is delivered at Pearson test centers under the ARDMS community of Inteleos; a scaled score of 555 or better (on the 300–700 scale) is required to pass.
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QuestionsApproximately 165 questions — multiple choice plus hotspot (mark-on-image) items; includes a five-minute survey
Testing timeThree hours (includes a five-minute survey)
ScoringPass/fail decision; a scaled score of 555 or better is required to pass (applies to all ARDMS examinations; not percentage- or curve-based)
Exam feeUSD 300 for the AB examination (ARDMS fee schedule; all ARDMS exam fees include a USD 100 non-refundable processing fee); an additional non-refundable USD 50 international test center fee applies when scheduling outside the U.S., Canada, or Mexico
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- ARDMS
- Category
- Diagnostic Sonography
- Current version
- Abdomen Sonography Examination Content Outline, Version 24.1 (current content outline; exam content also reflects the 2018 AB Job Task Analysis)
- Where it applies
- Global
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- 300–700 scaled score
- Testing provider
- Pearson VUE (Pearson test centers)
- Format
- Computer-based exam with multiple-choice and hotspot (mark-on-image) items at Pearson test centers
- Availability
- Year-round: applications always open; after receiving the Exam Confirmation Letter, a 90-day window to schedule and take the exam at a Pearson test center
- Results
- Score report at the test center upon completion and in the Pearson account; results posted to the Inteleos portal within one week
- Score validity
- A passed AB exam counts toward RDMS certification only when paired with a passed SPI exam within five years of each other (5-Year Rule, calendar-year-based, either order); otherwise the previously passed exam must be retaken
- Remote testing
- Not available
Exam structure
Approximately 165 items (multiple choice plus hotspot image questions) across four weighted domains: Anatomy, Perfusion, and Function (30%); Pathology, Vascular Abnormalities, Trauma, and Postoperative Anatomy (42%); Abdominal Physics (8%); and Clinical Care, Practice, and Quality Assurance (20%)
Where rules vary
ARDMS is a U.S.-based registry (Rockville, MD, part of Inteleos) whose credentials are recognized internationally; the same uniform English exam is delivered worldwide at Pearson test centers, with a surcharge for test centers outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Eligibility
Must qualify under an ARDMS prerequisite pathway (education/clinical-experience based; see ARDMS Prerequisites) — the AB exam is the RDMS specialty exam and does not by itself confer certification; the SPI exam must also be passed within five years, in either order
Retake policy
May reapply 3 days after failing, but must wait 60 days before retaking the exam