Laser Equipment Operation & Care Flashcards
7 cards from real CLT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Laser Equipment Operation & Care flashcards as text
What is the purpose of an optical power meter with a calibrated thermopile detector when servicing therapeutic lasers?
Answer: To provide a traceable reference measurement of actual output power
A thermopile-based power meter converts laser energy to heat for accurate, wavelength-independent power measurement, serving as the reference for calibration verification.
In a dual-wavelength therapeutic laser, what is the most important pre-treatment check regarding wavelength delivery?
Answer: Verify each wavelength's output power independently using a wavelength-appropriate detector
Each wavelength must be verified independently because diodes can degrade at different rates, and a combined-mode measurement cannot isolate individual channel performance.
Which of the following is a correct procedure when cleaning a contaminated laser aperture window?
Answer: Use lint-free optical tissue with a drop of lens-grade isopropyl alcohol in a single dragging stroke
Optical surfaces should be cleaned with lint-free lens tissue and optical-grade IPA in a single unidirectional stroke to avoid scratching or redistributing contaminants.
A water-cooled therapeutic laser produces louder than normal pump noise during operation. This MOST likely indicates:
Answer: Air has entered the cooling loop or the pump is cavitating due to low coolant level
Unusual pump noise commonly results from air entrainment or low coolant level causing cavitation, which reduces cooling efficiency and can damage the pump.
What does 'beam divergence' specify for a therapeutic laser?
Answer: The rate at which beam diameter increases with distance from the aperture
Beam divergence is the half-angle (in milliradians) describing how rapidly the beam expands as it travels away from the exit aperture.
Which safety label is required on all Class 3B and Class 4 therapeutic laser devices per ANSI Z136.1?
Answer: A warning label stating the laser class, wavelength, and maximum output power
ANSI Z136.1 requires Class 3B and 4 devices to display a warning label that includes the hazard class, operating wavelength(s), and maximum output power.
When a therapeutic laser is moved to a new clinical room, what environmental factor should be assessed before operating the device?
Answer: Room temperature and humidity to ensure they fall within the device's operating specifications
Operating outside specified temperature and humidity ranges can affect diode performance, cooling efficiency, and optical component integrity, so environmental conditions must be verified.