CAISS COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Parenchyma.
Answer: the functional tissue of an organ as distinguished from the
connective and supporting tissue. Found in the brain, kidney, liver and
spleen.
◍ vertebral artery.
Answer: head & neck
◍ Coding Micro Fractures.
Answer: These fractures are not codeable
◍ What four structures are included in with the brain stem?.
Answer: hypothalamusmedullamidbrainpons
◍ What does an AIS of 6 indicate?.
Answer: Maximal injury; currently untreatable
◍ What are the 2 arteries named in the lower extremity section?.
Answer: 1) femoral artery2) popliteal artery
◍ How should skin tears be assigned?.
Answer: Assigned as a laceration to the appropriate location on the patient
and assigned to the ISS body region for calculating
◍ In the AIS coding book what does the Bold Type indicate?.
Answer: Identifies an anatomical structure
◍ What are the 2 categories of veins included under intracranial vessels?.
Answer: 1) vein, major2) vein, non-major
,◍ When is caustic injury coded?.
Answer: Used only when the specific location is not known.
◍ optic nerve.
Answer: 1) head - intracranial/intracanalicular segment2) face - intraorbital
segment
◍ 3 portions of the temporal bone.
Answer: squamous (vault)mastoid (base)petrous (base)
◍ spinal accessory nerve.
Answer: head
◍ What are the 5 named arteries included in the chest region?.
Answer: 1) aorta (also in abdominal region)2) brachiocephalic (innominate)
3) coronary 4) pulmonary5) subclavian
◍ innominate artery.
Answer: chest (brachiocephalic artery)
◍ Define Vessel Dissection.
Answer: Coded as an intimal tear.
◍ Define Intra-Articular / Partial Articular.
Answer: Refers to a fracture line into one joint and part of the articular
surface is still in continuity with the shaft
◍ What 5 intracranial veins are included under "vein, major"?.
Answer: 1) galen2) labbe3) trolard4) rosenthal5) internal cerebral
◍ Penetrating Injury Skull.
Answer: Any penetrating involving the brain stem should be coded to
140216.6(penetrating injury brain stem) no matter how many other regions
are involved.
◍ T/F A pelvic fracture with complete disruption of the posterior arch is
considered stable..
Answer: False - it's unstable
, ◍ What body regions include the vagus nerve? (cranial nerve X).
Answer: head or neckchestabdomen
◍ Intraperitoneal.
Answer: within the peritoneal cavity that contains the abdominal organs
◍ The innominate artery is also known as the _____________ artery and is
coded to the ___________ body region..
Answer: brachiocephalicchest
◍ Used for coding a nerve laceration.
Answer: Paralysis or Total Loss of Function
◍ What terms would exclude coding of an injury?.
Answer: Rule Out, Suspicious for, Probable or Possible
◍ Do ISS body regions match AIS chapters?.
Answer: No. The spine is categorized placed in the neck, chest or abdominal
region. Additionally skin injuries are coded to the external region.
◍ cuboid.
Answer: lower extremity (foot bone)
◍ What is Thrombus?.
Answer: Occlusion of an artery. Refers to the sequela of a blunt trauma to
the neck
◍ In the AIS coding book what does the Italics indicate?.
Answer: Used for proper-named anatomical structures or injures and for OIS
grades
◍ T/F For pts who died before radiology, and no autopsy is performed, a
clinical diagnoses of multiple rib fxs made by detecting thoracic cage
instability is acceptible for AIS coding..
Answer: True - multiple rib fractures NFS 450210.2
◍ carpus.
Answer: upper extremity (hand)
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Parenchyma.
Answer: the functional tissue of an organ as distinguished from the
connective and supporting tissue. Found in the brain, kidney, liver and
spleen.
◍ vertebral artery.
Answer: head & neck
◍ Coding Micro Fractures.
Answer: These fractures are not codeable
◍ What four structures are included in with the brain stem?.
Answer: hypothalamusmedullamidbrainpons
◍ What does an AIS of 6 indicate?.
Answer: Maximal injury; currently untreatable
◍ What are the 2 arteries named in the lower extremity section?.
Answer: 1) femoral artery2) popliteal artery
◍ How should skin tears be assigned?.
Answer: Assigned as a laceration to the appropriate location on the patient
and assigned to the ISS body region for calculating
◍ In the AIS coding book what does the Bold Type indicate?.
Answer: Identifies an anatomical structure
◍ What are the 2 categories of veins included under intracranial vessels?.
Answer: 1) vein, major2) vein, non-major
,◍ When is caustic injury coded?.
Answer: Used only when the specific location is not known.
◍ optic nerve.
Answer: 1) head - intracranial/intracanalicular segment2) face - intraorbital
segment
◍ 3 portions of the temporal bone.
Answer: squamous (vault)mastoid (base)petrous (base)
◍ spinal accessory nerve.
Answer: head
◍ What are the 5 named arteries included in the chest region?.
Answer: 1) aorta (also in abdominal region)2) brachiocephalic (innominate)
3) coronary 4) pulmonary5) subclavian
◍ innominate artery.
Answer: chest (brachiocephalic artery)
◍ Define Vessel Dissection.
Answer: Coded as an intimal tear.
◍ Define Intra-Articular / Partial Articular.
Answer: Refers to a fracture line into one joint and part of the articular
surface is still in continuity with the shaft
◍ What 5 intracranial veins are included under "vein, major"?.
Answer: 1) galen2) labbe3) trolard4) rosenthal5) internal cerebral
◍ Penetrating Injury Skull.
Answer: Any penetrating involving the brain stem should be coded to
140216.6(penetrating injury brain stem) no matter how many other regions
are involved.
◍ T/F A pelvic fracture with complete disruption of the posterior arch is
considered stable..
Answer: False - it's unstable
, ◍ What body regions include the vagus nerve? (cranial nerve X).
Answer: head or neckchestabdomen
◍ Intraperitoneal.
Answer: within the peritoneal cavity that contains the abdominal organs
◍ The innominate artery is also known as the _____________ artery and is
coded to the ___________ body region..
Answer: brachiocephalicchest
◍ Used for coding a nerve laceration.
Answer: Paralysis or Total Loss of Function
◍ What terms would exclude coding of an injury?.
Answer: Rule Out, Suspicious for, Probable or Possible
◍ Do ISS body regions match AIS chapters?.
Answer: No. The spine is categorized placed in the neck, chest or abdominal
region. Additionally skin injuries are coded to the external region.
◍ cuboid.
Answer: lower extremity (foot bone)
◍ What is Thrombus?.
Answer: Occlusion of an artery. Refers to the sequela of a blunt trauma to
the neck
◍ In the AIS coding book what does the Italics indicate?.
Answer: Used for proper-named anatomical structures or injures and for OIS
grades
◍ T/F For pts who died before radiology, and no autopsy is performed, a
clinical diagnoses of multiple rib fxs made by detecting thoracic cage
instability is acceptible for AIS coding..
Answer: True - multiple rib fractures NFS 450210.2
◍ carpus.
Answer: upper extremity (hand)