Cornell
HM-POCUS

Hospital Medicine Point of Care Ultrasonography

1. Which statement is TRUE with respect to knee effusions?

The contents of knee effusions can be variable in appearance
A simple appearing fluid collection is associated with an aseptic effusion
The “squish” sign is not applicable to knee effusions
Knee effusions will display color flow on Doppler

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

The hypodermis is the second layer of skin
The hypodermis is highly vascular
The loose connective tissue within the hypodermis is called epimysium
The hypodermis is comprised predominantly of adipose tissue

3. Which musculoskeletal layer appears the most echogenic (bright) on ultrasound?

Epidermis
Hypodermis
Deep fascia
Muscle

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

The patellar ligament is an extension of the quadriceps tendon
The femoral shaft is lined by hyaline cartilage
The largest fat pad of the anterior knee is the suprapatellar fat pad
The infrapatellar bursa communicates with the knee joint

5. Which of the following statements is FALSE?

Hyaline cartilage can mimic the presence of an effusion
Tendons in long axis have a dense fibrillar pattern
The suprapatellar fat pad in interspersed with hyperechoic collagenous septae
Bone appears as an acoustic shadow beneath a hyperechoic outer layer

6. Which statement is FALSE with respect to musculoskeletal ultrasound?

The curvilinear probe may be helpful when scanning deeper structures such as the hip joint
Maintaining joints in slight flexion may reduce anisotropy
Compression can be helpful to identify an effusion
Procedural convention is standard in musculoskeletal ultrasound

7. Which of the following statements are TRUE?

The muscle fibers demonstrate a speckled pattern made from perimysium in the long axis view
The four quadriceps muscles converge into the patellar tendon just superior to the patella
The quadriceps tendon attaches to the tibial tuberosity
Fluid seen in the suprapatellar synovial recess may represent a knee effusion

8. Which statement most accurately describes anisotropy?

Anisotropy is an angle-generated artifact seen in bone
Anisotropy can be minimized by maintaining the beam of isonation parallel to the area of interest
Anisotropy can be reduced by slight manipulation of the probe by tilting or rocking
Anisotropy is virtually indistinguishable from fluid collections

9. Which answer choice most accurately reflects the sonographic findings of cellulitis?

In early cellulitis, there is a blurring between the hypodermis and muscle layer
Cobblestoning can be seen and is pathognomonic for cellulitis
It is useful to scan the contralateral body part or an adjacent area to appreciate more subtle sonographic changes
The use of color Doppler may reveal hyperemia, which is confirms the presence of cellulitis

10. Which of the following statements is TRUE with respect to the abscesses?

Soft tissue abscesses are always accompanied by cellulitis
Abscesses can be associated with artifacts such as posterior acoustic enhancement and edge shadowing
The “squish sign” can help differentiate abscesses from vascular structures
Abscesses are not associated with septae or subcutaneous gas