NSG 550 DIAGNOSTIC REASONING FOR NURSE PRACTITIONERS |
WILKES UNIVERSITY | ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027 | COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION PACKAGE — EXAMS 1, 2 & 3 | 150 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWER RATIONALES
1. What is a nuclear scan also known as? - ANSWERS-Bone scan and thyroid scan
(scintigraphy)
2. What can a nuclear scan detect? - ANSWERS-Cancer stage, GI bleed, embolism,
brain scan, thyroid nodules, testicular swelling, and heart function
3. What is commonly used in nuclear scans? - ANSWERS-Technetium
4. Who is it contraindicated for to undergo a nuclear scan? - ANSWERS-Pregnant and
nursing individuals
5. What precautions should be taken after a nuclear scan? - ANSWERS-Use toilet and
flush many times after use, clean up spilled urine, and wash soiled linen alone
6. Renal scan is what type of test - ANSWERS-nuclear
7. What does MRI stand for? - ANSWERS-Magnetic Resonance Imaging
8. Why is MRI considered better than CT scans? - ANSWERS-MRI provides many image
angles and natural blood vessel contrast.
9. What are some contraindications for undergoing an MRI? - ANSWERS-Extreme
obesity, claustrophobia, agitation, and presence of metal objects.
10. What precaution should be taken before an MRI scan? - ANSWERS-Remove patches
and metal objects.
11. Diabetes lab tests example - ANSWERS-fasting glucose, hba1c, GTT, random glucose
, C-peptide
12. C-peptide - ANSWERS-evaluates islet cell functioning those taking insulin
Evaluates diabetic patients and those who use insulin secretly and for those with
insulinomas
13. Fasting plasma glucose - ANSWERS-a 75 gram oral glucose tolerance test and A1C
are helps with diagnosing DM
14. Microalbumin - ANSWERS-first indicator of renal disease done annually (screening)
15. Thyroid Nodule diagnosis - ANSWERS-An ultrasound is used for cysts and nodules
and best option
, Scintigraphy: staging papillary and follicular carcinomas
CT scanning: detects regional and distant metastasis from thyroid cancer
MRI: for diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis and staging cancer
16. What is the best test for diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma - ANSWERS-needle aspiration
of thyroid: risk for bleeding and infection, so one needs to stop blood thinners
17. Thyroid function tests - ANSWERS-TSH: elevated (hypothyroidism), decreased (
hyperthyroid)
Thyroxine T3: 5-12
Triiodothyronine T3: 100-200
18. What does a cortisol test measure? - ANSWERS-Adrenal activity
19. When are cortisol levels typically higher? - ANSWERS-In the morning
20. What conditions are associated with elevated cortisol levels? - ANSWERS-Cushing
syndrome, ACTH-producing tumor, hyperthyroidism, obesity
21. What conditions are associated with low cortisol levels? - ANSWERS-Addison's
disease, adrenal hyperplasia, pregnancy, stress
22. ACTH - ANSWERS-measures Anterior pituitary function
Low levels: Cushing (hypopituitary)
High levels: adrenal issues (Addison
23. High ACTH and high cortisol levels - ANSWERS-cushing disease
24. Low ACTH and High cortisol - ANSWERS-Cushing syndrome or adrenal tumor
25. High ACTH and low cortisol - ANSWERS-addison
26. Low ACTH and Low cortisol - ANSWERS-hypopituitarism
27. What does a urinalysis (UA) diagnose? - ANSWERS-Kidney function and metabolic
processes
28. What does a first morning UA help diagnose? - ANSWERS-Protein and nitrates
29. When should a timed UA be collected? - ANSWERS-After a meal, in the evening, and
then discard the void to start timing
30. What is the purpose of a double void in urine collection? - ANSWERS-To collect fresh
urine
31. How is a 24-hour UA collected? - ANSWERS-Discard the first void and then collect
urine for 24 hours, including the morning, and store it in the fridge
WILKES UNIVERSITY | ACADEMIC YEAR 2026/2027 | COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION PACKAGE — EXAMS 1, 2 & 3 | 150 VERIFIED QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWER RATIONALES
1. What is a nuclear scan also known as? - ANSWERS-Bone scan and thyroid scan
(scintigraphy)
2. What can a nuclear scan detect? - ANSWERS-Cancer stage, GI bleed, embolism,
brain scan, thyroid nodules, testicular swelling, and heart function
3. What is commonly used in nuclear scans? - ANSWERS-Technetium
4. Who is it contraindicated for to undergo a nuclear scan? - ANSWERS-Pregnant and
nursing individuals
5. What precautions should be taken after a nuclear scan? - ANSWERS-Use toilet and
flush many times after use, clean up spilled urine, and wash soiled linen alone
6. Renal scan is what type of test - ANSWERS-nuclear
7. What does MRI stand for? - ANSWERS-Magnetic Resonance Imaging
8. Why is MRI considered better than CT scans? - ANSWERS-MRI provides many image
angles and natural blood vessel contrast.
9. What are some contraindications for undergoing an MRI? - ANSWERS-Extreme
obesity, claustrophobia, agitation, and presence of metal objects.
10. What precaution should be taken before an MRI scan? - ANSWERS-Remove patches
and metal objects.
11. Diabetes lab tests example - ANSWERS-fasting glucose, hba1c, GTT, random glucose
, C-peptide
12. C-peptide - ANSWERS-evaluates islet cell functioning those taking insulin
Evaluates diabetic patients and those who use insulin secretly and for those with
insulinomas
13. Fasting plasma glucose - ANSWERS-a 75 gram oral glucose tolerance test and A1C
are helps with diagnosing DM
14. Microalbumin - ANSWERS-first indicator of renal disease done annually (screening)
15. Thyroid Nodule diagnosis - ANSWERS-An ultrasound is used for cysts and nodules
and best option
, Scintigraphy: staging papillary and follicular carcinomas
CT scanning: detects regional and distant metastasis from thyroid cancer
MRI: for diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis and staging cancer
16. What is the best test for diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma - ANSWERS-needle aspiration
of thyroid: risk for bleeding and infection, so one needs to stop blood thinners
17. Thyroid function tests - ANSWERS-TSH: elevated (hypothyroidism), decreased (
hyperthyroid)
Thyroxine T3: 5-12
Triiodothyronine T3: 100-200
18. What does a cortisol test measure? - ANSWERS-Adrenal activity
19. When are cortisol levels typically higher? - ANSWERS-In the morning
20. What conditions are associated with elevated cortisol levels? - ANSWERS-Cushing
syndrome, ACTH-producing tumor, hyperthyroidism, obesity
21. What conditions are associated with low cortisol levels? - ANSWERS-Addison's
disease, adrenal hyperplasia, pregnancy, stress
22. ACTH - ANSWERS-measures Anterior pituitary function
Low levels: Cushing (hypopituitary)
High levels: adrenal issues (Addison
23. High ACTH and high cortisol levels - ANSWERS-cushing disease
24. Low ACTH and High cortisol - ANSWERS-Cushing syndrome or adrenal tumor
25. High ACTH and low cortisol - ANSWERS-addison
26. Low ACTH and Low cortisol - ANSWERS-hypopituitarism
27. What does a urinalysis (UA) diagnose? - ANSWERS-Kidney function and metabolic
processes
28. What does a first morning UA help diagnose? - ANSWERS-Protein and nitrates
29. When should a timed UA be collected? - ANSWERS-After a meal, in the evening, and
then discard the void to start timing
30. What is the purpose of a double void in urine collection? - ANSWERS-To collect fresh
urine
31. How is a 24-hour UA collected? - ANSWERS-Discard the first void and then collect
urine for 24 hours, including the morning, and store it in the fridge
