Free Breast Sonography Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the Breast Sonography practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1A breast sonographer reviews a patient's risk history before an examination. Which factor belongs among the risks the patient cannot change?

   1. A. Not being physically active
   2. B. Having an inherited BRCA1 mutation
   3. C. Using combined menopausal hormone therapy
   4. D. Having obesity after menopause

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The CDC lists "Genetic mutations. Inherited changes (mutations) to certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, increase risk of breast and ovarian cancer." This is an inherited risk factor, whereas the other reported factors are in the CDC's modifiable-risk group.

   Reference: CDC Breast Cancer Risk Factors — Risk factors you cannot change / Risk factors you can change

2. 2A sonographer uses a 7 MHz transducer in tissue where sound speed is 1,540 m/s. What wavelength should be expected, rounded to two decimal places in millimeters?

   1. A. 0.11 mm
   2. B. 0.22 mm
   3. C. 0.44 mm
   4. D. 2.20 mm

   Answer: B

   Explanation: FDA defines "wavelength" as "The ratio of the speed of sound in the medium to the center frequency." Thus 1,540 m/s divided by 7,000,000 Hz equals 0.00022 m, or 0.22 mm. Halving or doubling that result confuses one-way wavelength with round-trip distance; 2.20 mm misplaces the decimal.

   Reference: FDA Marketing Clearance of Diagnostic Ultrasound Systems and Transducers — Appendix A, Definitions, wavelength

3. 3While orienting a breast scan, the sonographer identifies the tissue chiefly responsible for breast size and external contour. Which tissue is it?

   1. A. Adipose tissue
   2. B. Fibrous connective tissue
   3. C. Pectoralis major muscle
   4. D. Glandular lobules

   Answer: A

   Explanation: NCI states, "Fatty tissue gives the breast its shape". Adipose tissue is therefore the tissue chiefly associated with external contour in this scenario.

   Reference: NCI What Is Breast Cancer? — Breast anatomy introduction

4. 4A 26-year-old patient has a newly palpable breast mass and no prior imaging for this concern. When the sonographer verifies the requested examination, which initial study does the ACR rate usually appropriate for this presentation?

   1. A. Diagnostic breast ultrasound
   2. B. Diagnostic mammography
   3. C. Diagnostic breast tomosynthesis
   4. D. Contrast-enhanced breast MRI

   Answer: A

   Explanation: For an "Adult female, younger than 30 years of age. Palpable breast mass. Initial imaging," the ACR table rates "US breast" as "Usually Appropriate" and the listed mammographic, tomosynthesis, and MRI studies as usually not appropriate. The requested study is therefore diagnostic breast ultrasound.

   Reference: ACR Appropriateness Criteria: Palpable Breast Masses — Variant 6, Adult female younger than 30, initial imaging, procedure table

5. 5A transducer spectrum has its two minus 3 dB boundary frequencies at 8 MHz and 12 MHz. Using the FDA definition, what is the center frequency?

   1. A. 4 MHz
   2. B. 8 MHz
   3. C. 10 MHz
   4. D. 12 MHz

   Answer: C

   Explanation: FDA defines center frequency as "fc = (f1 + f2)/2" with f1 and f2 the frequencies defined in bandwidth. Averaging 8 and 12 MHz gives 10 MHz. Four MHz is the bandwidth, while 8 and 12 MHz are the boundary frequencies.

   Reference: FDA Marketing Clearance of Diagnostic Ultrasound Systems and Transducers — Appendix A, Definitions, center frequency

6. 6A sonographer traces a normal milk-producing unit within the glandular breast tissue. Which structure performs that secretory function?

   1. A. A lobule
   2. B. A duct
   3. C. A lactiferous sinus
   4. D. A Cooper ligament

   Answer: A

   Explanation: NCI identifies the secretory unit directly: "Lobules are tiny glands that make milk." The other named structures have transport or support roles.

   Reference: NCI What Is Breast Cancer? — Glandular tissue, lobules

7. 7A 52-year-old patient still has a palpable breast mass after diagnostic mammography is reported BI-RADS 1. Which next imaging study does the ACR rate usually appropriate when the request is reviewed?

   1. A. Breast ultrasound
   2. B. Breast MRI with contrast
   3. C. Dedicated breast FDG-PET
   4. D. Sestamibi molecular breast imaging

   Answer: A

   Explanation: For a palpable mass in a patient at least 40 with negative mammography, the ACR table rates "US breast" as "Usually Appropriate" while the listed MRI, PET and molecular breast imaging studies are usually not appropriate. A negative mammogram therefore does not end targeted evaluation of the palpable finding.

   Reference: ACR Appropriateness Criteria: Palpable Breast Masses — Variant 5, age 40 or older, negative mammography, procedure table

8. 8The system emits 2,000 pulses during one second of a pulsed ultrasound examination. Which acoustic quantity is 2,000 Hz?

   1. A. Pulse repetition frequency
   2. B. Center frequency
   3. C. Pulse-average intensity
   4. D. Mechanical index

   Answer: A

   Explanation: FDA defines "pulse repetition frequency" as "For a pulsed waveform, the number of pulses generated per second." Two thousand pulses in one second therefore means a PRF of 2,000 Hz, not an acoustic pressure, intensity, or center frequency.

   Reference: FDA Marketing Clearance of Diagnostic Ultrasound Systems and Transducers — Appendix A, Definitions, pulse repetition frequency

9. 9During a radial scan toward the nipple, the sonographer follows the pathway that carries milk away from a lobule. Which structure provides that pathway?

   1. A. A lactiferous duct
   2. B. A Cooper ligament
   3. C. An axillary lymph vessel
   4. D. A retromammary fat plane

   Answer: A

   Explanation: NCI explains that "breast milk flows from the lobules through thin tubes (ducts) to the nipple." The duct is the transport pathway in the question.

   Reference: NCI What Is Breast Cancer? — Glandular tissue, milk transport

10. 10A sonographer asks about reproductive history while documenting breast cancer risk. Which menstrual history increases lifetime exposure to natural estrogen?

    1. A. Later first menstruation with earlier menopause
    2. B. Earlier first menstruation with later menopause
    3. C. Earlier first menstruation with earlier menopause
    4. D. Later first menstruation with later menopause

    Answer: B

    Explanation: NCI identifies "having a longer menstrual history (i.e., having early menarche, later menopause)" as a factor that increases the time breast tissue is exposed to estrogen. The other pairings do not combine both features of the longest menstrual history.

    Reference: NCI Causes and Risk Factors for Breast Cancer — Reproductive history