1. Which factor can reduce the effectiveness of BAEPs?
A. Muscle relaxants
B. Background noise
C. Volatile anesthetics
D. Patient positioning
Answer: B
Rationale: Background noise, especially in the operating room, can
interfere with the auditory signals used in BAEPs.
2. What is the significance of the alarm criteria in IONM?
A. To detect technical artifacts
B. To notify surgeons of potential neurologic injury
C. To adjust anesthesia levels
D. To record patient movements
Answer: B
Rationale: Alarm criteria guide the team in recognizing significant
changes in monitoring signals that could indicate neurological
compromise.
3. What does a prolongation of SSEP latency indicate?
,A. Improved neural conduction
B. Anesthesia-related suppression
C. Delayed conduction due to neural compromise
D. Loss of sensory pathways
Answer: C
Rationale: Increased latency in SSEPs is usually caused by slowed
conduction, often due to ischemia or nerve injury.
4. What does free-running EMG activity typically indicate?
A. Voluntary muscle movement
B. Peripheral nerve irritation
C. Motor cortex stimulation
D. Sensory pathway activation
Answer: B
Rationale: Free-running EMG activity can indicate irritation or
impending injury to a monitored nerve.
5. During acoustic neuroma surgery, which modality is most useful for
monitoring hearing preservation?
A. SSEPs
B. BAEPs
C. MEPs
, D. EEG
Answer: B
Rationale: BAEPs are critical for assessing auditory nerve function and
preserving hearing during acoustic neuroma surgery.
6. What is the optimal stimulation site for upper extremity SSEPs?
A. Median nerve
B. Ulnar nerve
C. Radial nerve
D. Brachial plexus
Answer: A
Rationale: The median nerve is commonly stimulated for upper
extremity SSEPs.
7. Which modality is primarily used to monitor motor pathways during
IONM?
A. Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEPs)
B. Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs)
C. Electroencephalography (EEG)
D. Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials (BAEPs)
Answer: B
Rationale: MEPs are specifically used to assess motor pathways by
stimulating the motor cortex and recording responses from muscles.
A. Muscle relaxants
B. Background noise
C. Volatile anesthetics
D. Patient positioning
Answer: B
Rationale: Background noise, especially in the operating room, can
interfere with the auditory signals used in BAEPs.
2. What is the significance of the alarm criteria in IONM?
A. To detect technical artifacts
B. To notify surgeons of potential neurologic injury
C. To adjust anesthesia levels
D. To record patient movements
Answer: B
Rationale: Alarm criteria guide the team in recognizing significant
changes in monitoring signals that could indicate neurological
compromise.
3. What does a prolongation of SSEP latency indicate?
,A. Improved neural conduction
B. Anesthesia-related suppression
C. Delayed conduction due to neural compromise
D. Loss of sensory pathways
Answer: C
Rationale: Increased latency in SSEPs is usually caused by slowed
conduction, often due to ischemia or nerve injury.
4. What does free-running EMG activity typically indicate?
A. Voluntary muscle movement
B. Peripheral nerve irritation
C. Motor cortex stimulation
D. Sensory pathway activation
Answer: B
Rationale: Free-running EMG activity can indicate irritation or
impending injury to a monitored nerve.
5. During acoustic neuroma surgery, which modality is most useful for
monitoring hearing preservation?
A. SSEPs
B. BAEPs
C. MEPs
, D. EEG
Answer: B
Rationale: BAEPs are critical for assessing auditory nerve function and
preserving hearing during acoustic neuroma surgery.
6. What is the optimal stimulation site for upper extremity SSEPs?
A. Median nerve
B. Ulnar nerve
C. Radial nerve
D. Brachial plexus
Answer: A
Rationale: The median nerve is commonly stimulated for upper
extremity SSEPs.
7. Which modality is primarily used to monitor motor pathways during
IONM?
A. Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEPs)
B. Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs)
C. Electroencephalography (EEG)
D. Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials (BAEPs)
Answer: B
Rationale: MEPs are specifically used to assess motor pathways by
stimulating the motor cortex and recording responses from muscles.
