CTP Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CTP facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the PRIMARY ethical obligation of a certified Certified Transplant Preservationist professional regarding confidential information? → Protect from unauthorized disclosure at all times
2. Which electrolyte concentration in University of Wisconsin solution helps prevent cellular swelling by limiting sodium entry? → High potassium (125 mEq/L)
3. During abdominal organ procurement, which vessel is most commonly cannulated for in-situ flushing? → Aorta
4. Which scoring system is used in the United States to assess expanded criteria for liver donors and estimate graft survival risk? → Donor Risk Index (DRI)
5. Why is it important to minimize organ exposure to air during preservation? → It prevents cellular damage by limiting oxidative stress.
6. Which serological test is required to evaluate a potential organ donor for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) status? → EBV-VCA IgG and IgM
7. What is the importance of evaluating the recipient’s health history? → It ensures the recipient is in good health to undergo surgery and recover.
8. What is the primary goal of organ preservation? → To maintain organ viability until transplantation.
9. Which virological test result in a potential donor mandates automatic organ discard per most OPO protocols, regardless of organ type? → HIV RNA NAT positive (confirmed active HIV infection)
10. What is the purpose of transplantation regulations? → To ensure safe, ethical, and legal practices in organ donation and transplantation.
11. Which federal agency oversees the regulation of organ procurement organizations (OPOs) in the United States? → CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
12. What is the importance of documentation in organ preservation? → To provide a record of the preservation process and ensure traceability.
13. In recipient evaluation for heart transplantation, which hemodynamic measurement, if severely elevated and fixed, may contraindicate transplantation? → Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)
14. What role does calibration play in Certified Transplant Preservationist technical accuracy? → Ensures instruments produce accurate results over time
15. In pancreas preservation, what is the maximum recommended cold ischemia time to optimize islet cell viability? → 12 hours
16. What documentation is MOST critical for safety compliance in Certified Transplant Preservationist? → Incident reports, training records, and inspection logs
17. Why is blood type compatibility important in donor-recipient evaluation? → It prevents immune rejection and ensures organ compatibility.
18. The PHS (Public Health Service) guideline on 'increased risk donors' (IRDs) requires transplant programs to: → Obtain informed consent from recipients regarding the potential risks before transplant
19. What is the recommended target temperature range (°C) for cold static storage of most solid organs during preservation? → 0–4°C
20. Which preservation technique is most appropriate for a marginal kidney from an older DCD donor to maximize viability assessment? → Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) with viability monitoring
21. Immunosuppressant medications given during organ preservation flush are intended primarily to: → Prevent early acute rejection at reperfusion
22. What is the purpose of donor evaluation in transplantation? → To assess whether the organ is suitable for transplantation.
23. What documentation is MOST critical for safety compliance in Certified Transplant Preservationist? → Incident reports, training records, and inspection logs
24. In the context of expanded criteria donor (ECD) kidneys, which recipient group benefits most from use of these organs? → Older recipients with shorter expected remaining dialysis-free survival
25. Asked to provide CTP services outside scope of competence, the CORRECT response is to: → Decline and refer to a qualified professional
26. Which imaging modality is most commonly used to evaluate donor liver anatomy and vascular patency prior to procurement? → CT angiography with contrast
27. Which temperature range is considered acceptable for perfusate storage prior to organ procurement? → 2°C to 8°C
28. Which OPTN policy section addresses the mandatory reporting of transplant outcomes, including graft failure and recipient death? → OPTN Policy 18 (Data Submission Requirements)
29. What is the CORRECT sequence when performing a Certified Transplant Preservationist technical procedure? → Plan, prepare, execute, verify, and document
30. What is the primary advantage of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) over cold static storage for kidney preservation? → Continuous washout of metabolic waste products and delivery of nutrients