ASCP UPDATED Actual Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
If an antinuclear antibody indirect immunofluorescence test shows a positive, speckled
pattern,
which would be the MOST appropriate additional test to perform?
a. Anti-mitochondrial antibody
b. Immunoglobulin quantitation
c. Screen for Sm and RNP antibodies
d. Anti-DNA antibody using C. luciliae - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C. Screen for Sm and
RNP antibodies
Which method remains the "gold standard" for ANA detection?
a. Radioimmunoassay (RIA)
b. Lateral Flow Immunoassay
c. Enzyme Immunoassay (ELISA)
d. Slide-based immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or Colorzyme - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D.
Slide-based immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or Colorzyme
What is the most common combination of ANA patterns?
a. Homogeneous and centromere
b. Speckled and nucleolar
c. Speckled and SSA/Ro
d. Homogeneous and speckled - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Homogenous and speckled
Which two stages of cell division are the most important for reading ANAs?
a. Prophase and metaphase
b. Interphase and anaphase
c. Anaphase and telophase
d. Interphase and metaphase - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Interphase and Metaphase
,Why are ANA positive samples titered? (Chose all that apply)
-To determine just how ill the pt is
- To determine how much antibody is present in the sample
-To look for multiple ANA patterns - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔- To determine how much
antibody is present in the sample.
- to look for multiple ANA patterns
What type of follow-up testing is recommended for a Speckled ANA pattern?
a. None
b. Testing for antibodies to the extractable nuclear antigens (ENA)
c. Testing for antibodies to dsDNA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B. Testing for antibodies to
the extractable nuclear antigens (ENA)
For the ANA test to be positive what must be present in the nucleus of the interphase cell?
a. Strong staining
b. Centromeres
c. dsDNA
d. A clearly discernible pattern - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. A clearly discernible pattern
In real-time PCR procedures, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is the process
that allows for probes to emit fluorescence only after hybridization. True or False? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔True
Which of the following is not a feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE):
Select one:
a. Increased serum complement
b. Positive ANA
c. Circulating immune complexes
d. Decreased serum complement - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A. Increased serum
complement
,A ficin (enzyme) treated panel can be a useful tool for determining the identity of an
antibody. On a ficin-treated panel, reactions with systems are enhanced, while reactions with
systems are degraded and reactions with stay the same (unaffected).
Select one:
a. (Rh, Kidd, Kell) (Lewis) (Duffy)
b. (Rh, MN) (Duffy) (ABO)
c. (Duffy) (Rh, Lewis, Kell) (Kell)
d. (Rh, Lewis, Kidd) (MN, Duffy) (Kell) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. (Rh, Lewis, Kidd)
(MN, Duffy) (Kell)
Certain clinical conditions such as Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN), Hemolytic
Transfusion Reaction (HTR), and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) result from the
attachment of antibodies or complement to human RBCs. What is this process called?
Select one:
a. Desensitization
b. Non-sensitization
c. In vitro sensitization
d. In vivo sensitization - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. In vivo sensitization
Which is the main limitation of standard PCR that is not a limitation of real-time PCR?
Select one:
a. Requirement of a large initial sample
b. Inability to quantitate DNA product due to endpoint analysis only
c. Ability to detect PCR product during the plateau stage - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B.
Inability to quantitate DNA product due to endpoint analysis only
A patient has the following test results:ANA = positive 1:320RA = positiveComplement =
decreasedThe above results would be seen in patients with:
Select one:
a. Rheumatic fever
b. Rheumatoid arthritis
c. Lupus Erythematosus
, d. Glomerulonephritis - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C. Lupus Erythmatosus
A 40-year-old female receives two units of Red Blood Cells during a surgical procedure. The
patient has no prior history of transfusions. Seven days later, she presents with extensive
bruising of the extremities and bleeding of the gums, with no additional symptoms. Her
platelet count is 5X109/L (reference interval 150-400 X 109 /L). What is the most likely
diagnosis?
Select one:
a. Post transfusion purpura (PTP)
b. Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR)
c. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
d. Allergic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A. Post transfusion purpura (PTP)
Approximately what percent of the overall population is Rh negative:
Select one:
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35% - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B. 15%
Which one of the following statements concerning endocytosis is NOT TRUE?
Select one:
a. Cells may employ endocytosis to ingest large polar molecules (macromolecules) from
extracellular fluid.
b. In endocytosis, the cell membrane often extends outward until it surrounds the material
that will be ingested.
c. Endocytosis is a natural process of intracellular digestion for nutrition.
d. Endocytosis is the process by which phagosomes are released by the cell to expel the
macromolecules inside. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Endocytosis is the process by which
phagosomes are released by the cell to expel the macromolecules inside
Which of the following represents the approximate percentage of the population that is Rh
positive:
and CORRECT Answers
If an antinuclear antibody indirect immunofluorescence test shows a positive, speckled
pattern,
which would be the MOST appropriate additional test to perform?
a. Anti-mitochondrial antibody
b. Immunoglobulin quantitation
c. Screen for Sm and RNP antibodies
d. Anti-DNA antibody using C. luciliae - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C. Screen for Sm and
RNP antibodies
Which method remains the "gold standard" for ANA detection?
a. Radioimmunoassay (RIA)
b. Lateral Flow Immunoassay
c. Enzyme Immunoassay (ELISA)
d. Slide-based immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or Colorzyme - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D.
Slide-based immunofluorescent assay (IFA) or Colorzyme
What is the most common combination of ANA patterns?
a. Homogeneous and centromere
b. Speckled and nucleolar
c. Speckled and SSA/Ro
d. Homogeneous and speckled - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Homogenous and speckled
Which two stages of cell division are the most important for reading ANAs?
a. Prophase and metaphase
b. Interphase and anaphase
c. Anaphase and telophase
d. Interphase and metaphase - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Interphase and Metaphase
,Why are ANA positive samples titered? (Chose all that apply)
-To determine just how ill the pt is
- To determine how much antibody is present in the sample
-To look for multiple ANA patterns - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔- To determine how much
antibody is present in the sample.
- to look for multiple ANA patterns
What type of follow-up testing is recommended for a Speckled ANA pattern?
a. None
b. Testing for antibodies to the extractable nuclear antigens (ENA)
c. Testing for antibodies to dsDNA - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B. Testing for antibodies to
the extractable nuclear antigens (ENA)
For the ANA test to be positive what must be present in the nucleus of the interphase cell?
a. Strong staining
b. Centromeres
c. dsDNA
d. A clearly discernible pattern - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. A clearly discernible pattern
In real-time PCR procedures, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is the process
that allows for probes to emit fluorescence only after hybridization. True or False? -
CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔True
Which of the following is not a feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE):
Select one:
a. Increased serum complement
b. Positive ANA
c. Circulating immune complexes
d. Decreased serum complement - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A. Increased serum
complement
,A ficin (enzyme) treated panel can be a useful tool for determining the identity of an
antibody. On a ficin-treated panel, reactions with systems are enhanced, while reactions with
systems are degraded and reactions with stay the same (unaffected).
Select one:
a. (Rh, Kidd, Kell) (Lewis) (Duffy)
b. (Rh, MN) (Duffy) (ABO)
c. (Duffy) (Rh, Lewis, Kell) (Kell)
d. (Rh, Lewis, Kidd) (MN, Duffy) (Kell) - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. (Rh, Lewis, Kidd)
(MN, Duffy) (Kell)
Certain clinical conditions such as Hemolytic Disease of the Newborn (HDN), Hemolytic
Transfusion Reaction (HTR), and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) result from the
attachment of antibodies or complement to human RBCs. What is this process called?
Select one:
a. Desensitization
b. Non-sensitization
c. In vitro sensitization
d. In vivo sensitization - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. In vivo sensitization
Which is the main limitation of standard PCR that is not a limitation of real-time PCR?
Select one:
a. Requirement of a large initial sample
b. Inability to quantitate DNA product due to endpoint analysis only
c. Ability to detect PCR product during the plateau stage - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B.
Inability to quantitate DNA product due to endpoint analysis only
A patient has the following test results:ANA = positive 1:320RA = positiveComplement =
decreasedThe above results would be seen in patients with:
Select one:
a. Rheumatic fever
b. Rheumatoid arthritis
c. Lupus Erythematosus
, d. Glomerulonephritis - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔C. Lupus Erythmatosus
A 40-year-old female receives two units of Red Blood Cells during a surgical procedure. The
patient has no prior history of transfusions. Seven days later, she presents with extensive
bruising of the extremities and bleeding of the gums, with no additional symptoms. Her
platelet count is 5X109/L (reference interval 150-400 X 109 /L). What is the most likely
diagnosis?
Select one:
a. Post transfusion purpura (PTP)
b. Acute hemolytic transfusion reaction (AHTR)
c. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
d. Allergic reaction - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔A. Post transfusion purpura (PTP)
Approximately what percent of the overall population is Rh negative:
Select one:
a. 10%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35% - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔B. 15%
Which one of the following statements concerning endocytosis is NOT TRUE?
Select one:
a. Cells may employ endocytosis to ingest large polar molecules (macromolecules) from
extracellular fluid.
b. In endocytosis, the cell membrane often extends outward until it surrounds the material
that will be ingested.
c. Endocytosis is a natural process of intracellular digestion for nutrition.
d. Endocytosis is the process by which phagosomes are released by the cell to expel the
macromolecules inside. - CORRECT ANSWER- ✔✔D. Endocytosis is the process by which
phagosomes are released by the cell to expel the macromolecules inside
Which of the following represents the approximate percentage of the population that is Rh
positive:
