CMT CMT Anatomy & Pathology for Mortuary Science 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which artery is most commonly used as the primary injection site in standard arterial embalming?
- Common carotid artery (Correct answer)
- Femoral artery
- Radial artery
- Brachial artery
Correct answer: Common carotid artery
The common carotid artery is the most frequently used primary injection site because it is accessible and allows embalming fluid to reach the head and major trunk vessels.
Question 2: What is the name of the large vein typically used as the primary drainage point during arterial embalming?
- Internal jugular vein (Correct answer)
- Femoral vein
- Subclavian vein
- Portal vein
Correct answer: Internal jugular vein
The internal jugular vein is the most common primary drainage site during embalming because it is located near the injection site and handles high volumes of drainage.
Question 3: Which condition describes the stiffening of the body's muscles after death due to chemical changes in muscle tissue?
- Rigor mortis (Correct answer)
- Livor mortis
- Algor mortis
- Putrefaction
Correct answer: Rigor mortis
Rigor mortis is post-mortem muscle stiffening caused by the depletion of ATP and cross-linking of actin and myosin proteins in muscle tissue.
Question 4: What is the function of the lymphatic system relevant to embalming distribution?
- It transports interstitial fluid and plays a role in edema that can affect embalming fluid distribution (Correct answer)
- It directly carries embalming fluid through the body
- It produces red blood cells during life
- It controls muscle contraction post-mortem
Correct answer: It transports interstitial fluid and plays a role in edema that can affect embalming fluid distribution
The lymphatic system drains interstitial fluid; when compromised by disease or obstruction, it contributes to edema that impairs even embalming fluid distribution.
Question 5: Which organ serves as the primary site of blood filtration and stores blood in reserve in the living body?
- Spleen (Correct answer)
- Liver
- Kidneys
- Pancreas
Correct answer: Spleen
The spleen filters blood, removes old red blood cells, and stores a reserve of blood that can be released into circulation when needed.
Question 6: What causes the green discoloration of skin that is associated with early decomposition?
- Hydrogen sulfide reacting with hemoglobin to form sulfhemoglobin (Correct answer)
- Oxidation of iron in the blood
- Growth of algae on the skin surface
- Pooling of bile from the gallbladder
Correct answer: Hydrogen sulfide reacting with hemoglobin to form sulfhemoglobin
Bacterial production of hydrogen sulfide reacts with hemoglobin in decomposing tissue to form sulfhemoglobin, causing the characteristic green discoloration.
CMT CMT Anatomy & Pathology for Mortuary Science 1
Which artery is most commonly used as the primary injection site in standard arterial embalming?