Accreditation in the 11-13+6 week scan


Introduction

The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) has set up a process for accreditation in the 11-13+6 weeks scan to ensure that those performing this ultrasound examination have been adequately trained to do so and that high standards of performance are maintained by continuous education and audit.

Once the certificate of training in the 11-13+6 weeks scan has been obtained, the doctor/sonographer will be entitled to receive the FMF software for the calculation of risk of Down syndrome by a combination of maternal age, nuchal translucency (NT) measurement. Additional first trimester ultrasound markers can be used to further refine the risk of Down syndrome in the FMF software, once the NT-credentialed person has earned a Certificate of Competence (for nasal bone and/or tricuspid flow and/or ductus venosus flow and/or facial angles).

The accredited individual will be included in the FMF USA weblist of Accredited Sonographers. Insurance companies, laboratories, and potential employers can check this list by entering a person's last name or FMF ID number.

The only condition for ongoing accreditation and use of the software is annual provision of NT data and images by the credentialed person for the purposes of quality assurance.

The Accreditation Process

Nuchal translucency scan requirements for accreditation:

  • Completion of the official Fetal Medicine Foundation free online theory course and payment of the one-time $100 administrative fee.
    • Click here to register for the free online theory course (choose the "Medical Practitioner" option)
    • Click here to pay the one-time $100 fee online
  • Uploading or submission of three images of NT measurements.
  • If all of the images are acceptable, a certificate of NT accreditation will be sent. If the technique is not consistently correct, feedback will be given and three more images requested. Once consistent mastery of the technique is demonstrated the certificate will be sent
  • Click here for film submission form for those mailing images.
    Click here for nuchal translucency protocol.

Nasal bone scan requirements for accreditation:

  • Completion of the official Fetal Medicine Foundation free online theory course.
  • Current Fetal Medicine Foundation NT certificate
  • Uploading or submission of three nasal bone images. The first one should be of an ABSENT nasal bone and the other two should be normal.
  • If all of the images are acceptable, a certificate of nasal bone accreditation will be sent. If the technique is not consistently correct, feedback will be given and three more images requested. Once consistent mastery of the technique is demonstrated the certificate wil be sent.
  • Click here for NB protocol.

Tricuspid flow scan requirements for accreditation:

  • Completion of the official Fetal Medicine Foundation free online theory course.
  • Current Fetal Medicine Foundation NT certificate
  • Uploading or submission of three tricuspid flow images, showing the 4-chamber view and Doppler gate placed, as well as the Doppler waveforms. The first image should represent abnormal tricuspid flow and the other two should be normal.
  • If all of the images are acceptable, a certificate of tricuspid flow will be sent. If the technique is not consistently correct, feedback will be given and three more images requested. Once consistent mastery of the technique is demonstrated the certificate will be sent.
  • Click here for tricupsid protocol.

Ductus venosus scan requirements for accreditation:

  • Completion of the official Fetal Medicine Foundation free online theory course.
  • Current Fetal Medicine Foundation NT certificate
  • Uploading or submission of three ductus venosus flow. The first image should represent abnormal ductus venosus flow and the other two should be normal.
  • If all of the images are acceptable, a certificate of ductus venosus accreditation will be sent. If the technique is not consistently correct, feedback will be given and three more images requested. Once consistent mastery of the technique is demonstrated the certificate will be sent.
  • Click here for ductus venosus protocol.

Fronto-maxillary facial angle scan requirements for accreditation:

  • Completion of the official Fetal Medicine Foundation free online theory course.
  • Current Fetal Medicine Foundation NT certificate
  • Uploading or submission of three images, all showing the angle drawn.
  • If all of the images are acceptable, a certificate of facial angle accreditation will be sent. If the technique is not consistently correct, feedback will be given and three more images requested. Once consistent mastery of the technique is demonstrated the certificate will be sent.
  • Click here for fronto-maxillary facial angle protocol.