Deck 8: Central Nervous System

Question 1

What is the most common cause of chronic meningitis?

A) Bacterial infections
B) Fungal infections
C) Viral infections
D) None of the above.

Answer 1

Bacterial infections

Question 2

Which of the following pathologic conditions would demonstrate as a decrease in tissue density on CT images of the CNS?
1)Cerebral infarctions
2)Cerebral calcifications
3)CNS cysts

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 2

1 and 3 only

Question 3

What imaging modality is most commonly used to image the brain of neonates?

A) CT
B) Conventional radiography
C) MRI
D) Ultrasound

Answer 3

Ultrasound

Question 4

Spheres, coils, or beads are used to embolize or occlude cerebral vasculature, as in the case of an aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Question 5

A ventricular shunt is placed between the ventricles and the _____ to drain excess CSF in patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus.

A) internal jugular vein
B) heart
C) peritoneum
D) All of the above.

Question 6

Meningiomas are fed by the meningeal arteries, often enabling demonstration of an enlarged foramen spinosum and increased meningeal vascular markings on

A) skull radiography.
B) contrast-enhanced CT.
C) contrast-enhanced MRI.
D) All of the above.

Question 7

In children, brain tumors often tend to occur in the

A) brainstem.
B) frontal lobe.
C) temporal lobes.
D) posterior fossa.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT one of three tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath?

A) Acoustic neuroma
B) Acoustic neurilemma
C) Schwannoma
D) Pituitary adenoma

Question 9

Which of the following structures is NOT considered part of the brainstem?

A) Pons
B) Medulla oblongata
C) Diencephalon
D) Midbrain

Question 10

Which of the following is the modality of choice for detecting cerebrovascular hemorrhage following acute head trauma?

A) Computed tomography
B) Magnetic resonance imaging
C) Nuclear medicine
D) Sonography

Question 11

What are the determining factors of a patient's prognosis when diagnosed with metastatic brain disease?
1)Age of the individual
2)Number of metastatic lesions present
3)Primary type of malignant disease

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3

Question 12

The most common location for herniated disks in the lower back are

A) L2-L3.
B) L3-L4.
C) L4-L5.
D) L5-S1.

Question 13

Noncontrast brain CT scans are most commonly used to diagnose patients with stroke-like symptoms because of their

A) high sensitivity to ischemic strokes.
B) high sensitivity to hemorrhagic strokes.
C) wide availability.
D) Both B and C.

Question 14

Vertebral disks are covered by a tough outer covering called the nucleus pulposus.

Question 15

Antibiotics are often successful against many forms of meningitis, though antibiotic therapy is never given before a definite diagnosis has been established.

Question 16

Which of the following brain neoplasm is associated with the highest survival rate?

A) Low grade astrocytomas
B) High grade astrocytomas
C) High grade glioblastomas
D) All of the above have the same survival rates

Question 17

Which of the following advanced MR imaging techniques is not useful in supporting a diagnosis of MS?

A) Diffusion imaging
B) Functional imaging (fMRI)
C) Perfusion imaging
D) Magnetization transfer

Question 18

Which of the following neurologic deficits are associated with a meningomyelocele?
1)Diminished control of the urinary bladder
2)Diminished control of the bowel
3)Diminished control of the lower extremities

A) 1 and 2 only
B) 1 and 3 only
C) 2 and 3 only
D) 1, 2, and 3

Question 19

Distinguishing clinical features of astrocytomas include

A) fast growing.
B) infiltrative tumors.
C) high grade of malignancy.
D) All of the above.

Question 20

What is the most common form of dementia affecting individuals under the age of 65 years?

A) Alzheimer's disease
B) Frontotemporal dementia
C) Lewy body dementia
D) Vascular dementia

Question 21

In patients previously treated for brain neoplasms, who subsequently present with new neurologic complaints, distinguishing between radiation necrosis and tumor recurrence is relatively simple.

Question 22

In spinal tumor diagnosis and evaluation, conventional spine radiographs are primarily reserved for demonstrating bony destruction and widening of the vertebral pedicles related to tumor growth.

Question 23

A contrast-enhanced CT of the spine is the best imaging choice for postoperative patients in the evaluation of scarring when the tissue extends beyond the vertebral interspace.

Question 24

The most common locations for disk herniation are in the lower cervical and lower lumbar regions.

Question 25

Lewy body dementia is associated with Pick disease.

Question 26

Optimal detail of posterior fossa structures can be obscured by beam-hardening artifact associated with CT, making MRI the initial modality of choice for evaluating patients of all ages.

Question 27

The blood-brain barrier consists of a network of capillaries that connects the arteries and veins of the brain that prevent the passage of unwanted macromolecules and fluids from leaking into the brain parenchyma.

Question 28

A hemorrhagic stroke results from a rupture of a blood vessel of the brain due to a weakening in the diseased vessel wall.

Question 29

About 80% of all strokes are caused by small vessel disease.

Question 30

The appearance of craniopharyngioma tumors on both CT and MR depends on the solid and cystic components of the mass.