Waveform Analysis GRADED A+
Ace your neurodiagnostic boards with this comprehensive ABRET EEG study guide,
fully updated with verified questions and expert rationales for the 2026 exam cycle. This
review masters high-yield technical domains, including the 10-20 electrode placement
system, differential amplifier instrumentation, and ACNS clinical recording standards.
Designed for technologists aiming for R. EEG T. certification, it provides the critical
knowledge needed to identify complex seizure patterns, metabolic waveforms, and
essential patient safety protocols.
1. According to the ACNS 2023 updated guidelines, the minimum sampling rate for
clinical EEG should be:
A) 200 Hz
B) 256 Hz
C) 512 Hz
D) 1024 Hz
Answer: C) 512 Hz
Rationale: While 256 Hz was the older minimum, current clinical standards recommend
512 Hz or higher to improve the resolution of fast ripples and spikes.
2. In a differential amplifier, if Input 1 is
and Input 2 is
, what is the resulting output?
A)
,B)
C)
D)
Answer: A) -60 \mu\text{V}
Rationale: Equation:
.
,.
3. Which of the following describes the "Horizontal Dipole" often seen in Benign
Rolandic Epilepsy (BECTS)?
A) A negative spike at T3 with a positive peak at Fz
B) A positive spike at O1 with a negative peak at O2
C) A negative spike at Cz with a positive peak at Pz
D) A 3 Hz generalized spike-and-wave
Answer: A) A negative spike at T3 with a positive peak at Fz
Rationale: BRE is unique because it often displays a dipole where the negativity is
centro-temporal and the positivity is more anterior/frontal.
4. A patient with "Moyamoya Disease" should NOT perform which activation
procedure?
A) Photic Stimulation
B) Sleep Deprivation
C) Hyperventilation (HV)
D) Eyes open/closed
Answer: C) Hyperventilation (HV)
Rationale: HV causes vasoconstriction. In Moyamoya (which involves narrowed
arteries), HV can trigger a "Rebuild Phenomenon" or even an ischemic stroke.
5. What is the distance between Fp2 and F4 if the total distance from Nasion to
Inion is 30 cm?
A) 3 cm
B) 6 cm
C) 7.5 cm
D) 10 cm
Answer: B) 6 cm
Rationale: The distance from Fp to F is 20% of the total chain (10% to Fpz, 10% to Fp2,
but wait—N-I chain logic: Fp to F is 20% of the total distance).
, .
6. "FIRDA" in a 70-year-old patient is most likely a sign of:
A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Normal aging
C) Generalized encephalopathy or increased intracranial pressure
D) REM sleep behavior disorder
Answer: C) Generalized encephalopathy or increased intracranial pressure
7. Which filter setting would specifically help identify a "Low-Voltage Fast" seizure
onset hidden by muscle artifact?
A) Notch filter 60 Hz
B) Increasing LFF to 5 Hz
C) Decreasing HFF to 15 Hz
D) Increasing the Sensitivity to
Answer: C) Decreasing HFF to 15 Hz
Rationale: Lowering the HFF filters out high-frequency muscle, potentially revealing the
underlying rhythmic activity.
8. If you double the paper speed (e.g., from 30 mm/sec to 60 mm/sec), a 10 Hz
Alpha wave will:
A) Appear twice as frequent
B) Appear twice as wide
C) Appear twice as tall
D) Stay exactly the same
Answer: B) Appear twice as wide
Rationale: Changing the time base (speed) stretches or compresses the horizontal axis
but does not change voltage (height).