Practice Test Geeks(RVT) Registered Vascular Technologist Practice Test
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Cerebrovascular Anatomy and Disease Flashcards

7 cards from real RVT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. Which vessel is most commonly responsible for a watershed infarct between the MCA and ACA territories?

    Answer: Internal carotid artery stenosis

    Severe ICA stenosis reduces perfusion pressure, making the border-zone watershed region between MCA and ACA territories vulnerable to ischemia.

  2. On duplex ultrasound, a post-stenotic flow pattern distal to a high-grade ICA stenosis is characterized by:

    Answer: Tardus-parvus waveform with delayed systolic upstroke

    Tardus-parvus (slow-rising, rounded systolic peak with reduced amplitude) waveform is the classic post-stenotic pattern seen distal to significant stenosis.

  3. The carotid siphon refers to the S-shaped segment of the internal carotid artery located in the:

    Answer: Cavernous sinus within the skull base

    The carotid siphon is the S-shaped intracranial portion of the ICA that courses through the cavernous sinus.

  4. A patient with subclavian steal syndrome will demonstrate which finding on vertebral artery duplex?

    Answer: Complete reversal of flow direction throughout the cardiac cycle

    Complete subclavian steal causes full reversal of vertebral artery flow as blood is 'stolen' retrograde to supply the ischemic subclavian artery territory.

  5. The normal intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery in adults under 50 years is generally accepted as less than:

    Answer: 0.9 mm

    An IMT of less than 0.9 mm is generally considered normal in adults, while values ≥1.0 mm suggest subclinical atherosclerosis.

  6. Which collateral pathway opens when the ipsilateral ICA is occluded and the contralateral ICA is patent?

    Answer: Anterior communicating artery

    The anterior communicating artery connects the two ACAs, allowing contralateral ICA flow to supply the ipsilateral hemisphere via the ACoA.

  7. Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) of the internal carotid artery most commonly affects which segment?

    Answer: Mid-cervical ICA (C1-C2 level)

    FMD most commonly affects the mid-cervical segment of the ICA at the C1-C2 vertebral level, producing the classic 'string of beads' appearance.

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