Imaging Procedures
Which of the following is a typical protocol for a CT study of the brain for a patient with a history of
dizziness?
A. 10-mm × 10-mm sections from the skull base to the vertex
B. 7-mm × 7-mm sections from the skull base to the posterior fossa
C. 2.5-mm × 2.5-mm sections through the posterior fossa, 5 mm × 5 mm to
vertex
D. 1.5-mm × 1.5-mm sections from skull base to vertex - correct answersC
(Patients with histories of headaches and/or dizziness should be evaluated for abnormalities of the inner
ear. Thin sections (1 to 3 mm) are required through the posterior fossa in order to best demonstrate the
small anatomic structures and improve image quality.)
Which of the following describes the scout (localizer) projection used to prescribe an axial CT acquisition
of the brain?
A. Anteroposterior
B. Submentovertical
C. Lateral
D. Posteroanterior - correct answersC
(A lateral projection of the head, including from below the skull base through the vertex, is used as a
scout image (scanogram) for a CT scan of the brain. CT systems utilizing automatic tube current
modulation (ATCM) software may also require the acquisition of an anteroposterior (AP) scout or
localizer projection.)
,Glioma is a general term used to describe a group of primary tumors. Consisting of malignant glial cells,
gliomas occur in the:
A. Oral cavity
B. Kidney
C. Brain
D. Liver - correct answersC
(The term glioma refers to the group of glial tumors that occur in the brain. Glial cells are connective
neural cells that play a supportive role in the brain. There are several common types of gliomas,
including astrocytomas and glioblastomas.)
A - correct answersNumber 3 corresponds to which of the following?
A. Nasopharynx
B. Sphenoid sinus
C. Ethmoid sinus
D. Trachea
A - correct answersWhich of the following numbers corresponds to the right lateral pterygoid plate?
A. 4
B. 2
C. 3
D. 5
D
(A coronal scout or pilot projection of the head may be obtained with the patient in either the supine or
the prone position. In the supine position, the patient is instructed to hyperextend the neck by dropping
,the head back so that it rests on its vertex on a positioning support device. In the prone position, the
patient is instructed to extend the neck with the head resting on the chin. Coronal CT images may be
produced in either case with the imaging plane positioned parallel to the coronal plane of the patient's
head.) - correct answersWhich of the following patient positions may have been used to produce this
scout image of the head?
A. Supine
B. Lateral
C. Prone
D. Both A and C
An extremely ____ window should be used to display images containing tissues with varying density
ranges. - correct answersWide
Which of the following areas of the head commonly becomes calcified?
1. Thalamus
2. Pineal gland
3. Choroid plexus
A. 2 only
B. 1 and 3 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2, and 3 - correct answersC
Following the injection of intravenous contrast media during a CT examination of the brain, which of the
following anatomic areas does not enhance?
A. Anterior communicating artery
B. Choroid plexus
C. Posterior horn of lateral ventricle
D. Dura mater - correct answersC
, (The posterior horn of the lateral ventricle contains cerebrospinal fluid and does not enhance following
the intravenous administration of contrast material. Areas with a good blood supply, such as the cranial
blood vessels, choroid plexus, and dura mater, do enhance during a contrast study of the brain.)
Which of the following conditions or indications would not require the injection of iodinated contrast
material for proper visualization during a CT examination of the brain?
A. S/P MVA 3 days ago; R/O subdural hematoma
B. Headaches; R/O meningioma
C. Loss of vision; R/O astrocytoma
D. Lung cancer; R/O metastases - correct answersA
(Subdural hematomas caused by relatively recent trauma appear as hyperdense areas on CT images of
the brain. Intravenous iodinated contrast media is not necessary for their visualization and may act to
conceal them. Contrast media are extremely valuable for visualization of intracranial tumors.)
Which of the following statements regarding the pituitary gland is false?
A. It is sometimes referred to as the hypophysis cerebri.
B. It is seated within the sella turcica.
C. The infundibulum attaches it to the hypothalamus.
D. It is responsible for the production of epinephrine. - correct answersD
(The pituitary gland is responsible for the production of several hormones, including somatotropin and
prolactin. It is the adrenal glands that play a role in the production and secretion of epinephrine
(adrenaline))
Which of the following correctly describes the patient position relative to the gantry for a CT study of
the brain?
A. Supine, feet first