Vascular Ultrasound UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - Difficulty with speech caused by impairment of the
tongue or muscles essential to speech
Common Carotid Artery (CCA) - CORRECT ANSWER - Arises from the aortic arch on
the left side and from the innominate artery on the right side
Bruit - CORRECT ANSWER - Noise caused by tissue vibration produced by turbulence
that cause flow disturbance
Dysphagia - CORRECT ANSWER - Inability to swallow or difficulty in swallowing
Ataxia - CORRECT ANSWER - Impaired ability to coordinate movement, especially
disturbances in gait
Vertigo - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensation of having objects move about the person or
sensation of moving around in space
Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) - CORRECT ANSWER - Larger of the two terminal
branches that arise from the common carotid artery
Vertebral Artery - CORRECT ANSWER - Larger branches of the subclavian artery that
merge to form the basilar artery
Amaurosis Fugax - CORRECT ANSWER - Transient partial or complete loss of vision in
one eye
,Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Deficit - CORRECT ANSWER - Cerebral infarct that
lasts longer than 24 hours but less than 72 hours
Hemiparesis - CORRECT ANSWER - Unilateral partial or complete paralysis
Collateral pathway - CORRECT ANSWER - Develops because of vessel obstruction;
smaller side branches of the vessel provide alternative flow pathways
Aphasia - CORRECT ANSWER - Inability to communicate by speech or writing
Cerebrovascular accident - CORRECT ANSWER - Abnormal condition of the brain
characterized by occlusion by and embolus, thrombus, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, or
vasospasm that results in ischemia of brain tissues normally perfused by the damaged vessels
External Carotid Artery - CORRECT ANSWER - Smaller of the two terminal branches of
the common carotid artery
Transient Ischemic Attack - CORRECT ANSWER - Episode of cerebrovascular
insufficiency, usually associated with partial occlusion of a cerebral artery by an artherosclerotic
plaque or an embolus
Diplopia - CORRECT ANSWER - Double vision
The ascending aorta originates from the _____ ventricle of the heart - CORRECT
ANSWER - left
Three main branches arise from the super convexity of the arch in its normal configuration: the
_____ trunk (innominate artery) is the first branch; the _____ common carotid artery the second;
and the left _____ artery the third branch in approximately 70% of cases. - CORRECT
ANSWER - brachiocephalic; left; subclavian
, The right CCA and the right subclavian artery are divided by the _____ artery, which gives rise
to the right vertebral artery. - CORRECT ANSWER - innominate
Each CCA ascends through the superior mediastinum anteriolaterally in the neck and lies _____
to the jugular vein - CORRECT ANSWER - medial
The left common carotid is usually _____ than the right, because it originates from the aortic
arch. - CORRECT ANSWER - longer
The termination of the CCA is the carotid _____, which is the origin of the ICA and the ECA. -
CORRECT ANSWER - bifurcation
The ECA originates at the midcervical level and is usually the _____ of the two terminal
branches of the CCA - CORRECT ANSWER - smaller
The larger of the CCA terminal branches is usually the _____ - CORRECT ANSWER -
ICA
Identify the four main segments into which the ICA can be divided: - CORRECT
ANSWER - cervical, petrous, cavernous, and cerebral
In most individuals, the ICA lies _____ to the ECA and courses medially as it ascends in the
neck - CORRECT ANSWER - posterolateral
The vertebral arteries are large branches of the _____ arteries - CORRECT ANSWER -
subclavian
The _____ segment of the vertebral artery courses superiorly and medially from its subclavian
origin to enter the transverse foramen of the sixth cervical vertebra - CORRECT
ANSWER - extravertebral
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Dysarthria - CORRECT ANSWER - Difficulty with speech caused by impairment of the
tongue or muscles essential to speech
Common Carotid Artery (CCA) - CORRECT ANSWER - Arises from the aortic arch on
the left side and from the innominate artery on the right side
Bruit - CORRECT ANSWER - Noise caused by tissue vibration produced by turbulence
that cause flow disturbance
Dysphagia - CORRECT ANSWER - Inability to swallow or difficulty in swallowing
Ataxia - CORRECT ANSWER - Impaired ability to coordinate movement, especially
disturbances in gait
Vertigo - CORRECT ANSWER - Sensation of having objects move about the person or
sensation of moving around in space
Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) - CORRECT ANSWER - Larger of the two terminal
branches that arise from the common carotid artery
Vertebral Artery - CORRECT ANSWER - Larger branches of the subclavian artery that
merge to form the basilar artery
Amaurosis Fugax - CORRECT ANSWER - Transient partial or complete loss of vision in
one eye
,Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Deficit - CORRECT ANSWER - Cerebral infarct that
lasts longer than 24 hours but less than 72 hours
Hemiparesis - CORRECT ANSWER - Unilateral partial or complete paralysis
Collateral pathway - CORRECT ANSWER - Develops because of vessel obstruction;
smaller side branches of the vessel provide alternative flow pathways
Aphasia - CORRECT ANSWER - Inability to communicate by speech or writing
Cerebrovascular accident - CORRECT ANSWER - Abnormal condition of the brain
characterized by occlusion by and embolus, thrombus, cerebrovascular hemorrhage, or
vasospasm that results in ischemia of brain tissues normally perfused by the damaged vessels
External Carotid Artery - CORRECT ANSWER - Smaller of the two terminal branches of
the common carotid artery
Transient Ischemic Attack - CORRECT ANSWER - Episode of cerebrovascular
insufficiency, usually associated with partial occlusion of a cerebral artery by an artherosclerotic
plaque or an embolus
Diplopia - CORRECT ANSWER - Double vision
The ascending aorta originates from the _____ ventricle of the heart - CORRECT
ANSWER - left
Three main branches arise from the super convexity of the arch in its normal configuration: the
_____ trunk (innominate artery) is the first branch; the _____ common carotid artery the second;
and the left _____ artery the third branch in approximately 70% of cases. - CORRECT
ANSWER - brachiocephalic; left; subclavian
, The right CCA and the right subclavian artery are divided by the _____ artery, which gives rise
to the right vertebral artery. - CORRECT ANSWER - innominate
Each CCA ascends through the superior mediastinum anteriolaterally in the neck and lies _____
to the jugular vein - CORRECT ANSWER - medial
The left common carotid is usually _____ than the right, because it originates from the aortic
arch. - CORRECT ANSWER - longer
The termination of the CCA is the carotid _____, which is the origin of the ICA and the ECA. -
CORRECT ANSWER - bifurcation
The ECA originates at the midcervical level and is usually the _____ of the two terminal
branches of the CCA - CORRECT ANSWER - smaller
The larger of the CCA terminal branches is usually the _____ - CORRECT ANSWER -
ICA
Identify the four main segments into which the ICA can be divided: - CORRECT
ANSWER - cervical, petrous, cavernous, and cerebral
In most individuals, the ICA lies _____ to the ECA and courses medially as it ascends in the
neck - CORRECT ANSWER - posterolateral
The vertebral arteries are large branches of the _____ arteries - CORRECT ANSWER -
subclavian
The _____ segment of the vertebral artery courses superiorly and medially from its subclavian
origin to enter the transverse foramen of the sixth cervical vertebra - CORRECT
ANSWER - extravertebral
