Assessment and Diagnosis Flashcards

When classifying TBI severity using the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) criteria, which combination defines mild TBI?

Answer: GCS 13-15, LOC up to 30 min, PTA up to 24 hours

ACRM mild TBI criteria: GCS 13-15, loss of consciousness ≤30 minutes, and PTA ≤24 hours.

A CBIS practitioner is assessing a patient for hemispatial neglect. Which bedside test is most commonly used?

Answer: Line bisection and cancellation tasks

Line bisection and cancellation tasks are standard bedside assessments for hemispatial neglect, revealing inattention to one side of space.

Which EEG finding is most associated with non-convulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in a TBI patient who is unresponsive?

Answer: Continuous spike-and-wave discharges at ≥3 Hz

Continuous or near-continuous spike-and-wave discharges ≥3 Hz on EEG are the hallmark of non-convulsive status epilepticus.

In a brain injury patient presenting with both expressive and receptive language deficits, damage is most likely to involve:

Answer: Both Broca's and Wernicke's areas or the arcuate fasciculus

Global aphasia, involving both production and comprehension, typically results from large left hemisphere lesions affecting both Broca's and Wernicke's areas.

The Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) measures which aspect of TBI outcome?

Answer: Community participation and social role performance

CHART assesses the degree to which individuals with disabilities fulfill typical social roles and participate in community life.

A patient sustains a TBI and develops unequal pupils (anisocoria) with one pupil dilated and non-reactive. This is most concerning for:

Answer: Transtentorial (uncal) herniation compressing CN III

A fixed dilated pupil following TBI typically indicates uncal herniation compressing the ipsilateral oculomotor nerve (CN III).

Which standardized assessment is specifically designed to measure awareness of deficits in individuals with acquired brain injury?

Answer: Awareness Questionnaire (AQ)

The Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) compares patient self-ratings to clinician and significant-other ratings to quantify unawareness of deficits.