CPFT-ANES – CERTIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION TECHNOLOGIST (ANESTHESIA) |
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION
TECHNOLOGY LATEST 2026/2027
CPFT-ANES
CERTIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION TECHNOLOGIST (ANESTHESIA)
1. Which structure marks the point where the trachea divides into the
right and left mainstem bronchi?
A. Cricoid cartilage
B. Glottis
C. Carina
D. Hilum
C. Carina – The carina sits at about the T4–T5 level and is a key
landmark during bronchoscopy and intubation.
2. Why is accidental endobronchial intubation more likely to enter the
right mainstem bronchus?
A. It is shorter, wider, and more vertical than the left
B. It is longer and narrower than the left
C. It has a smaller take-off angle from the trachea
D. It has cartilage rings that are incomplete
A. It is shorter, wider, and more vertical than the left – The right
bronchus's geometry also explains why aspirated material usually
lodges on the right.
1
,3. Which cells of the alveolar epithelium produce surfactant?
A. Type I pneumocytes
B. Type II pneumocytes
C. Alveolar macrophages
D. Clara (club) cells
B. Type II pneumocytes – Type II cells secrete surfactant, which lowers
surface tension and prevents alveolar collapse.
4. The main phospholipid component of pulmonary surfactant is
A. sphingomyelin
B. phosphatidylserine
C. dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
D. lecithin-free cholesterol ester
C. dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine – DPPC is responsible for most of the
surface-tension-lowering effect.
5. The diaphragm is innervated by the phrenic nerve, which arises from
spinal roots
A. C1, C2, C3
B. C5, C6, C7
C. T1, T2, T3
D. C3, C4, C5
D. C3, C4, C5 – 'C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive' is the classic
reminder.
6. Which structure is part of the anatomic dead space?
A. Respiratory bronchioles
B. Trachea
C. Alveolar ducts
D. Alveolar sacs
B. Trachea – The conducting airways down to the terminal bronchioles
carry air but do not exchange gas.
2
,7. Normal anatomic dead space in a healthy adult is approximately
A. 150 mL
B. 50 mL
C. 350 mL
D. 500 mL
A. 150 mL – This equals roughly 2.2 mL per kilogram of ideal body
weight.
8. Central chemoreceptors are located in the medulla and respond
primarily to changes in
A. H+ concentration of cerebrospinal fluid
B. arterial oxygen tension
C. arterial oxygen content
D. blood hemoglobin concentration
A. H+ concentration of cerebrospinal fluid – CO2 crosses the blood–
brain barrier and lowers CSF pH, which drives ventilation.
9. Peripheral chemoreceptors in the carotid bodies are most sensitive
to a fall in
A. PaCO2 alone
B. Hemoglobin concentration
C. Arterial oxygen content when PaO2 is normal
D. PaO2
D. PaO2 – They respond strongly to hypoxemia, particularly when PaO2
falls below about 60 mmHg.
3
, 10. Which brainstem area is associated with the pneumotaxic center
that limits inspiration?
A. Pons
B. Cerebellum
C. Thalamus
D. Midbrain tectum
A. Pons – The pontine pneumotaxic center fine-tunes respiratory rate
by switching off inspiration.
SECTION 2: GAS LAWS AND MEASUREMENT CONDITIONS
11. Boyle's law states that at constant temperature
A. the volume of a gas varies inversely with its pressure
B. the volume of a gas varies directly with its temperature
C. the pressure of a gas varies directly with its volume
D. total pressure equals the sum of partial pressures
A. the volume of a gas varies inversely with its pressure – Boyle's law is
the basis for plethysmographic lung volume measurement.
12. Which gas law describes how the total pressure of a gas mixture
equals the sum of the partial pressures of each gas?
A. Henry's law
B. Dalton's law
C. Charles's law
D. Graham's law
B. Dalton's law – Dalton's law underlies the calculation of alveolar
oxygen tension.
4
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION
TECHNOLOGY LATEST 2026/2027
CPFT-ANES
CERTIFIED PULMONARY FUNCTION TECHNOLOGIST (ANESTHESIA)
1. Which structure marks the point where the trachea divides into the
right and left mainstem bronchi?
A. Cricoid cartilage
B. Glottis
C. Carina
D. Hilum
C. Carina – The carina sits at about the T4–T5 level and is a key
landmark during bronchoscopy and intubation.
2. Why is accidental endobronchial intubation more likely to enter the
right mainstem bronchus?
A. It is shorter, wider, and more vertical than the left
B. It is longer and narrower than the left
C. It has a smaller take-off angle from the trachea
D. It has cartilage rings that are incomplete
A. It is shorter, wider, and more vertical than the left – The right
bronchus's geometry also explains why aspirated material usually
lodges on the right.
1
,3. Which cells of the alveolar epithelium produce surfactant?
A. Type I pneumocytes
B. Type II pneumocytes
C. Alveolar macrophages
D. Clara (club) cells
B. Type II pneumocytes – Type II cells secrete surfactant, which lowers
surface tension and prevents alveolar collapse.
4. The main phospholipid component of pulmonary surfactant is
A. sphingomyelin
B. phosphatidylserine
C. dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
D. lecithin-free cholesterol ester
C. dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine – DPPC is responsible for most of the
surface-tension-lowering effect.
5. The diaphragm is innervated by the phrenic nerve, which arises from
spinal roots
A. C1, C2, C3
B. C5, C6, C7
C. T1, T2, T3
D. C3, C4, C5
D. C3, C4, C5 – 'C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive' is the classic
reminder.
6. Which structure is part of the anatomic dead space?
A. Respiratory bronchioles
B. Trachea
C. Alveolar ducts
D. Alveolar sacs
B. Trachea – The conducting airways down to the terminal bronchioles
carry air but do not exchange gas.
2
,7. Normal anatomic dead space in a healthy adult is approximately
A. 150 mL
B. 50 mL
C. 350 mL
D. 500 mL
A. 150 mL – This equals roughly 2.2 mL per kilogram of ideal body
weight.
8. Central chemoreceptors are located in the medulla and respond
primarily to changes in
A. H+ concentration of cerebrospinal fluid
B. arterial oxygen tension
C. arterial oxygen content
D. blood hemoglobin concentration
A. H+ concentration of cerebrospinal fluid – CO2 crosses the blood–
brain barrier and lowers CSF pH, which drives ventilation.
9. Peripheral chemoreceptors in the carotid bodies are most sensitive
to a fall in
A. PaCO2 alone
B. Hemoglobin concentration
C. Arterial oxygen content when PaO2 is normal
D. PaO2
D. PaO2 – They respond strongly to hypoxemia, particularly when PaO2
falls below about 60 mmHg.
3
, 10. Which brainstem area is associated with the pneumotaxic center
that limits inspiration?
A. Pons
B. Cerebellum
C. Thalamus
D. Midbrain tectum
A. Pons – The pontine pneumotaxic center fine-tunes respiratory rate
by switching off inspiration.
SECTION 2: GAS LAWS AND MEASUREMENT CONDITIONS
11. Boyle's law states that at constant temperature
A. the volume of a gas varies inversely with its pressure
B. the volume of a gas varies directly with its temperature
C. the pressure of a gas varies directly with its volume
D. total pressure equals the sum of partial pressures
A. the volume of a gas varies inversely with its pressure – Boyle's law is
the basis for plethysmographic lung volume measurement.
12. Which gas law describes how the total pressure of a gas mixture
equals the sum of the partial pressures of each gas?
A. Henry's law
B. Dalton's law
C. Charles's law
D. Graham's law
B. Dalton's law – Dalton's law underlies the calculation of alveolar
oxygen tension.
4
