Dr. Carl Fastabend, Vein Specialist and Medical Director of The Vein Center of Southwest Louisiana, has been awarded the Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation® (RPVI®) credential by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS), the premier credentialing organization for sonography professionals, This certification acknowledges Dr. Fastabend�s achievement of a highly recognized professional standard of excellence. ARDMS credentials represent the highest level of competence in the medical-imaging modality of sonography (ultrasound) testing and interpretation. The RPVI credential, offered exclusively to physicians, validates the clinical expertise fundamental to vascular sonography interpretation, and recognizes the skills and knowledge required for making consistent and reliable diagnoses in vascular disease.

To earn the ARDMS credential, Dr. Fastabend met the association�s specific rigorous educational and professional experience requirements. He also passed the Physicians� Vascular Interpretation (PVI) examination.

Dr. Fastabend is a board certified cardiologist and vein disorder expert. He is a native of Richmond, Virginia, and earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, where he also completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Cardiology.Dr. Fastabend is board-certified in interventional cardiology, cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology and Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention. Dr. Fastabend is a member of medical staff of Imperial Health and has practiced interventional cardiology for over 30 years. He has a special interest in peripheral vascular disease and specializes in the treatment of vein disorders. He is the founder of The Vein Center of Southwest Louisiana,which has offices in Lake Charles and Lafayette.

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography® (ARDMS®) incorporated in June 1975, is an independent, nonprofit organization that administers examinations and awards credentials in the areas of diagnostic medical sonography, diagnostic cardiac sonography, vascular technology and physician vascular interpretation. ARDMS maintains accreditation with both the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), under International Standards Organization (ISO/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 17024, and the national Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). ARDMS has more than 70,000 certified individuals in the U.S., Canada and throughout the world and is the recognized international standard in sonography credentialing.