Mako TKA 2.0 Study Guide 2026 Complete
Practice Exam 100 Questions with Answers
Bolded and Rationales in Italics
SECTION 1: CT SCANNING AND PREOPERATIVE PLANNING
1. Which regions must be present in a Mako Total Knee CT scan?
• A) Hip and Knee only
• B) Knee and Ankle only
• C) Hip, Knee, and Ankle
• D) Knee only
Answer: C
Rationale: A complete Mako Total Knee CT scan must include the hip, knee, and
ankle regions to allow for full limb alignment assessment and accurate 3D bone
modeling .
2. What is the earliest time before a Mako Total Knee procedure that a patient
can be scanned?
• A) 4 weeks
• B) 6 weeks
• C) 8 weeks
• D) 12 weeks
Answer: C
Rationale: Patients can be scanned up to eight weeks prior to surgery. Scans older
,than 8 weeks are not acceptable because the patient's anatomy could change as
their arthritis progresses .
3. Why could a CT scan received 10 weeks prior to surgery be problematic?
• A) The scanner calibration may have changed
• B) The patient's anatomy/deformity could change if the scan is older than 8
weeks
• C) The DICOM format expires
• D) Metal components may have been implanted
Answer: B
Rationale: A CT scan older than 8 weeks is problematic because the patient's
anatomy or deformity could change as their arthritis progresses, making the plan
inaccurate .
4. How should a Mako patient be positioned in the CT scanner?
• A) Prone, head first
• B) Supine, feet first
• C) Supine, head first
• D) Lateral decubitus
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient must be positioned supine, feet first, to ensure the scan
captures the hip, knee, and ankle regions properly for accurate surgical planning .
5. Why are metal components in the joint potentially problematic for a Mako
Total Knee CT scan?
• A) They cause the scanner to overheat
, • B) They cause scatter in the CT scan making it difficult to segment
• C) They invalidate the patient's consent
• D) They increase radiation dose significantly
Answer: B
Rationale: Metal components in the joint create scatter artifact in the CT scan,
which can make it difficult for the software to accurately segment the bone from
surrounding tissue .
6. What is the correct scanning procedure for a Mako Total Knee?
• A) Separate scans for hip, knee, and ankle regions
• B) A single scan covering hip to ankle
• C) Two scans: hip and knee together, ankle separately
• D) A scan of the knee only, with estimated limb alignment
Answer: A
Rationale: The correct procedure is to take one scan each for the individual hip,
knee, and ankle regions to ensure optimal image quality for each area .
7. Must the motion rod be placed laterally during the CT scan?
• A) True
• B) False
Answer: B
Rationale: The motion rod should be placed anteriorly, not laterally, during the CT
scan. Placement laterally is incorrect .
8. Is it acceptable to use a CT scan that fails a motion check for a Mako Total
Knee case?
, • A) Yes, if the surgeon approves
• B) No
• C) Only if the patient is under anesthesia
• D) Yes, for partial knee cases only
Answer: B
Rationale: A CT scan that fails a motion check cannot be used for a Mako Total
Knee case because the motion check ensures the scan quality is sufficient for
accurate surgical planning .
9. What method(s) can be used to convert a DICOM file into a Mako Total Knee
2.0 patient plan?
• A) Manual data import only
• B) Automatic data import only
• C) Manual data import, Automatic data import, or PKA to TKA conversion
• D) PKA to TKA conversion only
Answer: C
Rationale: DICOM files can be converted into a Mako Total Knee 2.0 patient plan
through manual data import, automatic data import, or by converting from a PKA
(Partial Knee Arthroplasty) session to TKA .
10. What CT landmarks are unique to Mako Total Knee 2.0 that must be selected
manually?
• A) Hip center and knee center
• B) Medial and lateral epicondyles
• C) Distal shaft, proximal shaft, lateral slope, and medial slope
• D) Medial and lateral malleoli
Practice Exam 100 Questions with Answers
Bolded and Rationales in Italics
SECTION 1: CT SCANNING AND PREOPERATIVE PLANNING
1. Which regions must be present in a Mako Total Knee CT scan?
• A) Hip and Knee only
• B) Knee and Ankle only
• C) Hip, Knee, and Ankle
• D) Knee only
Answer: C
Rationale: A complete Mako Total Knee CT scan must include the hip, knee, and
ankle regions to allow for full limb alignment assessment and accurate 3D bone
modeling .
2. What is the earliest time before a Mako Total Knee procedure that a patient
can be scanned?
• A) 4 weeks
• B) 6 weeks
• C) 8 weeks
• D) 12 weeks
Answer: C
Rationale: Patients can be scanned up to eight weeks prior to surgery. Scans older
,than 8 weeks are not acceptable because the patient's anatomy could change as
their arthritis progresses .
3. Why could a CT scan received 10 weeks prior to surgery be problematic?
• A) The scanner calibration may have changed
• B) The patient's anatomy/deformity could change if the scan is older than 8
weeks
• C) The DICOM format expires
• D) Metal components may have been implanted
Answer: B
Rationale: A CT scan older than 8 weeks is problematic because the patient's
anatomy or deformity could change as their arthritis progresses, making the plan
inaccurate .
4. How should a Mako patient be positioned in the CT scanner?
• A) Prone, head first
• B) Supine, feet first
• C) Supine, head first
• D) Lateral decubitus
Answer: B
Rationale: The patient must be positioned supine, feet first, to ensure the scan
captures the hip, knee, and ankle regions properly for accurate surgical planning .
5. Why are metal components in the joint potentially problematic for a Mako
Total Knee CT scan?
• A) They cause the scanner to overheat
, • B) They cause scatter in the CT scan making it difficult to segment
• C) They invalidate the patient's consent
• D) They increase radiation dose significantly
Answer: B
Rationale: Metal components in the joint create scatter artifact in the CT scan,
which can make it difficult for the software to accurately segment the bone from
surrounding tissue .
6. What is the correct scanning procedure for a Mako Total Knee?
• A) Separate scans for hip, knee, and ankle regions
• B) A single scan covering hip to ankle
• C) Two scans: hip and knee together, ankle separately
• D) A scan of the knee only, with estimated limb alignment
Answer: A
Rationale: The correct procedure is to take one scan each for the individual hip,
knee, and ankle regions to ensure optimal image quality for each area .
7. Must the motion rod be placed laterally during the CT scan?
• A) True
• B) False
Answer: B
Rationale: The motion rod should be placed anteriorly, not laterally, during the CT
scan. Placement laterally is incorrect .
8. Is it acceptable to use a CT scan that fails a motion check for a Mako Total
Knee case?
, • A) Yes, if the surgeon approves
• B) No
• C) Only if the patient is under anesthesia
• D) Yes, for partial knee cases only
Answer: B
Rationale: A CT scan that fails a motion check cannot be used for a Mako Total
Knee case because the motion check ensures the scan quality is sufficient for
accurate surgical planning .
9. What method(s) can be used to convert a DICOM file into a Mako Total Knee
2.0 patient plan?
• A) Manual data import only
• B) Automatic data import only
• C) Manual data import, Automatic data import, or PKA to TKA conversion
• D) PKA to TKA conversion only
Answer: C
Rationale: DICOM files can be converted into a Mako Total Knee 2.0 patient plan
through manual data import, automatic data import, or by converting from a PKA
(Partial Knee Arthroplasty) session to TKA .
10. What CT landmarks are unique to Mako Total Knee 2.0 that must be selected
manually?
• A) Hip center and knee center
• B) Medial and lateral epicondyles
• C) Distal shaft, proximal shaft, lateral slope, and medial slope
• D) Medial and lateral malleoli
