Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards

Which neuroimaging technique is most sensitive for detecting diffuse axonal injury (DAI) in the acute phase of TBI?

Answer: MRI with susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)

SWI MRI detects microhemorrhages and axonal shear injury far better than CT or standard MRI sequences.

A patient scores a 3 on each component of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). What does this total score indicate?

Answer: Severe TBI

A GCS score of 3 (the minimum possible) indicates severe TBI with no eye opening, no verbal response, and no motor response.

When assessing post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), the Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test (GOAT) considers a patient out of PTA at what minimum score?

Answer: 75

A GOAT score of 75 or higher on two consecutive assessments is the standard criterion for emergence from PTA.

Which cranial nerve is most commonly injured in basilar skull fractures involving the anterior fossa, leading to anosmia?

Answer: Cranial nerve I (olfactory)

The olfactory nerve (CN I) passes through the cribriform plate and is frequently sheared in anterior fossa fractures.

The Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale (LCFS) Level IV is best characterized by which behavior?

Answer: Confused and agitated responses to environment

LCFS Level IV is the 'confused-agitated' stage, where patients are in heightened arousal and may be combative.

A CBIS specialist administers the Disability Rating Scale (DRS). Which domain is NOT assessed by the DRS?

Answer: Language function

The DRS measures arousability, cognitive ability for self-care, dependability level of functioning, and employability—not language function specifically.

Which finding on neuropsychological testing is most characteristic of injury to the prefrontal cortex following TBI?

Answer: Impaired executive function and perseveration

Prefrontal cortex damage typically produces impaired executive function including planning, inhibition, and perseveration.