CT Scan Flashcards
What is an advantage of scans of pituitary taken in coronal plane?
streak artifacts are reduced or eliminated
Which two strategies can reduce the effect of dental fillings in sinus study?
Adjust the angle of the gantry and widen the window width.
Which of the following conditions may be visualized in a CT study of the brain?
☑️Glioblastoma
Which of the following is affected by the slice spacing in a CT study?
Radiation dose to the patient
What is the name of the pinecon-shaped structure of the brain the can often be seen as calcified in CT images?
Pineal Gland
What helical or spiral computed tomography term is defined as the table increment in distance per mm per 360 degrees gantry rotation divided by the section thickness in mm?
Pitch
What effect would an array processor failure have on image processing?
Increase image display time
Which of the following will magnify the image?
Decreasing field of view
Which of the following is convolution?
☑️Filtered back projection
✖️Fourier transform
✖️Iterative filtration
✖️3-d rendering
The muscles of mastication include all of the following EXCEPT the:
✖️Temporalis
☑️Proximal pterygoid
✖️Masseter
✖️Lateral pterygoid
The gantry angle for a sinus cavity CT scan should be:
Parallel to the roof of the hard palate
The ______lobe of the brain is responsible for visual perception
Occipital
The larynx is best visualized with axial slices that are:
Parallel to the plane of the inferior aspect of the mandible
The preferred type of external storage devices used on CT scanning computers is:
Magnetic optical disk (MOD)
The internal ear contains all of the following structures EXCEPT the:
☑️Malleus
✖️Cochlea
✖️Semicircular canals
✖️Vestibule
The recommended maximum slice thickness for display of CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis is _____mm.
6-7mm
Which of the following artifacts is also referred to as the cupping artifact?
Beam hardening artifact
Scan coverage for a temporal bone scan should cover the:
Mid mastoids to above the petrous ridge
Contrast agents provide superior visibility in an anatomic area due to their ability to absorb:
X-ray photons
The technique of ______is best described as capturing cardiac CT images using estimates of the patient’s RR interval based on initial electrocardiographic recordings of these intervals:
Prospective triggering
Which superficial anterior muscle of the neck is known as the “muscle of facial expression”?
Platysma
What is an appropriate length of scan delay in seconds following contrast injection for CT angiography of the brain?
15-17
If extravasation of contrast occurs, the technologist should do all of the following EXCEPT:
☑️Remove the needle
☑️Elevate the affected limb
☑️Maintain pressure on the vein until the bleeding has stopped
✖️Apply heating pads to the area of extravasation
The spinal cord originates at the foramen magnum in the skull base and extends approximately to the level of:
T12
The ideal kVp/mAs settings for a posterior fossa scan are:
120-140/200
In an electron beam CT (EBCT) scanner, the type of radiation used to produce the image is:
Fixed electron beam
Which one of the following is NOT a factor affecting choice of a particular contrast agent?
An institutional contract with the manufacturer Cost The use of drip infusion vs power injector Radiologist preference
✖️An institutional contract with the manufacturer
☑️Cost
✖️The use of drip infusion vs power injector ✖️Radiologist preference
What are the most appropriate filming parameters/formats for the subdural area of the brain?
250/50
What is the most common indication for CT of the hip?
Trauma
In addition to having the patient raise the arms above the head, technologists can minimize scan artifacts in musculoskeletal CT imaging by:
Optimizing the DFOV to include only region of interest
The roughened surface on the anterior surface of the tibia that provides an insertion point for the knee cap ligaments is the:
Tibial tuberosity
For pituitary scans, intravenous contrast should be injected at a rate of ___cc/sec
1
In abdominal and pelvic CT imaging, IV contrast provides all of the following benefits EXCEPT:
✖️Visualizing the layers of the peritoneal membrane ☑️Increasing the attentuation of pelvic blood vessels
☑️Assessing the vascularity of tumors ☑️Increasing the attenuation of solid organs
The dorsal tendon group is responsible for:
Extending the fingers and wrist
Which of the following statements regarding CTA of the abdomen is FALSE?
✖️Rate of injection is inversely proportional to contrast enhancement
☑️ CTA plays an important role in identifying vessel dissection
☑️Stent placement can be evaluated with CTA following surgical blood vessel repair
☑️The speed of CTA makes it a valuable tool for assessment of trauma patients
The measure of the total number of particles in contrast solution per kilogram of water describes:
Osmolality
The onset of most serious adverse reactions to contrast media occurs ______ post administration
Within 5 minutes
The sciatic nerve carries nerve fibers from the vertebral interspaces most prominently at:
L3-L5
The correct Hounsfield unit measurement for acute intracranial hemmorhage is:
55-75
The gelatinous core at the center of an intervertebral disc is called the:
Nucleus pulposus
The major change in CT technology seen with fourth-generation scanners was:
The use of up to 2000 detectors in a fixed ring
The Agaston score is a measurement of the:
Degree of coronary artery calcification
Spiral/helical CT:
Involves continuous scanning around the patient and table
In CT scanning of the wrist, the technologist should employ all of the following techniques EXCEPT:
☑️Use of the smallest possible DFOV
☑️Construction of images with an overlap
✖️Use of a wide collimation
☑️Acquisition of both coronal and sagittal images
Which one of the following statements regarding CT scans for air trapping are TRUE?
✖️Expiratory scans will show an increase in attenuation compared with inspiratory scans
✖️Expiratory scans are not needed with multidetector CT scanners
✖️Very thin slice thicknesses are used for diagnosis
☑️The Housfield Unit number is expected to be very high on the inspiratory scan
An appropriate length of scan delay in seconds following contrast injection for orbital scan is:
60
Adverse reactions to contrast media include all of the following EXCEPT:
☑️Dyspnea
☑️Hypotension
✖️A feeling of warmth
☑️Urticaria
Which one of the following is NOT a structure of the eyeglobe?
☑️Anterior lens
☑️Vitreous fluid
✖️Posterior lens
☑️Cornea
What is considered a normal range for Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)?
5-25 mg/dl
Which CT Procedure requires Prothrombin Time (PT) and Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) laboratory results prior to starting the procedure?
Such procedures may include all types of CT Guided Biopsies of any area, CT Guided drainages, and Ablations. If the PT or PTT are abnormal, the procedure may be cancelled.
What method must be utilized for all peripheral venipuncture procedures to reduce the risk of microbial contamination and infection?
Aseptic Technique is a method that prevents the introduction of unwanted organisms into an environment that may cause an infection.
What are the three phases of IV contrast enhancement?
The first phase of enhancement is the Bolus phase. This is an optimal phase for CTAs. There is a significant density difference between the abdominal aorta and IVC. The second phase is the Non-Equilibrium phase. During this phase, the bolus disperses into the capillaries then into the veins. The two phases of enhancement within this phase are the Hepatic Arterial and Portal Venous. The Non-Equilibrium phase provides the best differentiation of structures in soft tissue like the liver and pancreas. The third phase is Equilibrium. During this phase, the concentration of contrast in the veins and arteries are similar and soft tissue differentiation becomes diminished.
What type of IV contrast is the same or less osmolality as blood?
Non ionic
The basilar artery divides to form the _______arteries
Posterior Cerebral Arteries
Common causes of RLQ pain that may mimic appendicitis, but can be ruled out with CT scanning, include all of the following EXCEPT:
☑️Cecal diverticulitis
✖️Food poisening
☑️Crohn’s disease
☑️Pelvic inflammatory disease
Signs of anaphylactoid reaction to contrast include all of the following EXCEPT:
✖️Yellowing of the skin
☑️Cool, clammy skin
☑️Throat constriction
☑️A sense of apprehension
The bone that transmittes the weight of the body from the distal portions of the tibia and fibula to the foot is called the:
Talus
To obtain 3D images of the spine, scanning should be conducted using a minimum slice thickness of ___mm and an overlap of ____%.
1,50
The term “noise” in CT imaging refers to:
Deviations in the consistency of the image grid
The extraocular muscles of the orbital muscle cone include all of the following EXCEPT the:
☑️Superior recti
☑️Inferior recti
✖️Lateral obliques
☑️Inferior obliques
What are the proper kVp/mAs settings for a scan of the soft tissues of the neck?
120-140/300
Gastric tumors most commonly appear on CT as:
Localized thickening of the gastric wall
The maximum degree of percentage of overlap that most CT scanners will recognize
50
Attachment of the vertebral column to the pelvis is provided by the:
SI Joint
The device in the gantry that measures the intensity of the x-ray beam emanating from the tube is called the:
Air-reference detector
Which of the following terms is used to describe the effectiveness with which the detectors gather the photons transmitted from the patient?
Capture efficiency
Second-generation scanners were associated with the introduction of which of the following developments?
A fan beam technology
The function of the detector is to:
Measure attenuated x-rays and convert them to digital signals
The blood vessel of the lower extremity that is the major source of thrombi leading to pulmonary embolism is the:
Popliteal vein
The ______ muscle of the rotator cuff is responsible for providing outward rotation of the arm
Infraspinatus
The _______muscle provides the strongest flexing action for the hip
Iliopsoas
The intervertebral foramina:
Allow for the ingress and egress of nerve root
The recommended display slice thickness for a routine cervical spine scan using a 16-slice CT scanner is ____mm.
2
For a CT scan of the lumbar spine requiring contrast, the contrast should be injected at a rate of ___ cc/sec.
1-2
The _______ligament is primarily responsible for stabilizing the anterior portion of the hip joint
Iliofemoral
The _______ligament is primarily responsible for stabilizing the anterior portion of the hip joint
The scan should begin following administration of the total contrast dose
What is the main advantages of CT over conventional radiography
☑️the elimination of superimposed structures
☑️the ability to differentiate small differences in density of anatomic structures and abnormalities
☑️the superior quality of the images.
The thickness of the the cross-sectional slice is referred to as its
Z Axis
Define pixel, voxel, and matrix.
Pixel- Picture element, an individual matrix and each pixel is assigned a CT number.
Matrix-Series of rows and columns of pixels that give form to the digital image
Determines the quanity of HU or the range of CT numbers used to map signals into shades of gray for specific windows.
Window width
Specific numbers are assigned to an individual pixels within the image data.
Hounsfield Unit
Minimum CT scan times have been reduced from 5 minutes per slice in 1976 to _____seconds per slice in 2004.
0.375
Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) measures the time required:
For clot formation in normal plasma
The most common reason to perform CT scanning of the lumbar spine is to:
Evaluate disc herniations
The field of view for pituitary gland scans should be ____cm.
10-12cm
A proper IV contrast bolus for a soft-tissue scan of the neck is ___cc at ____cc/sec
20, 2
The posterior elements of the vertebra are the:
Pedicles, laminae
The posterior margin of the posterior neck muscle triangle is formed by the_______ muscle.
Trapezius
The correct Hounsfield unit measurement for acute intracranial hemmorhage is:
55-75
The ______ ligament is responsible for preventing hyperextension of the vertebral column
Anterior Longitudinal
Using a multidetector-row scanner, the proper slice thickness used to reconstruct the hip is ___ mm.
3-5
How many display fields of view are recommended to obtain a complete CT scan of the neck?
3
CTA may require LOCM injection rats as high as ______mL/sec.
5
How man cc of contrast is appropriate to deliver for a routine brain scan?
100
IV contrast is used in CT scans of the hip and pelvis to:
Allow concomitant mapping of the iliac and femoral vessels
The portion of the dura mater that separates the cerebellum from the cerebrum is known as the :
Falx Cerebri
Third generation (rotate/rotate) scanners overcame which of the following limitations?
Translation motion
Which of the following is the term used to describe a voxel value that is the average of multiple tissue types contained within the voxel?
Partial Volume Averaging
Which of the following CT numbers would appear as a gray shades when a window width of 300 and a window level of 0 are selected?
Ct numbers between +150 and -150
Which fo the following is the central value in a range of gray shades used to display the image?
Window Level
What is the most common type of film used to recore CT exams?
Single Emulsion
What is the appropriate compensation to avoid quantum noise when performing thin section computed tomography?
Increase mAs
Which describes the relationship between section thickness and noise?
If section thickness increases, noise decreases
What term is used to describe as the ability to display an image of a large object that is only slightly different in density from its surroundings?
Contrast Resolution
Which of the following should be viewed with relatively wide window widths?
Lung and inner ear
How often should an average CT number water calibration test be performed?
Daily
Which of the following accurately describes the relationship between patient dose and pitch?
If pitch increases, patient dose decreases
Which of the following is defined as the ability to distinguish details in objects of different densities a small distance apart?
Spatial Resolution
What is the term that is used to describe contrast resolution?
Low contrast detectibilty
What is the primary type of interaction that contributes to the subject contrast in CT images?
Compton Scattering