CAISS ACTUAL TEST 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ Italics in the AIS dictionary indicate what? Answer: proper-named
injuries/structures, OIS grades
◉ Does AIS assess the severity of multiple injuries? Answer: NO
(single injury severity only)
◉ The injury Severity Score (ISS) is defined as what? Answer: Sum
of the squares of highest AIS in each of 3 most severely injured ISS
body regions.
◉ What are the six body regions used in the ISS? Answer: 1) head &
neck
2) face
3) chest
4) abdomen & pelvic organs
5) extremities & pelvic girdle
6) external
◉ Asphyxia is assigned to which ISS body region? Answer: HEAD &
neck
,◉ Thoracic spine injuries are assigned to which ISS body region?
Answer: Chest
◉ Drowning is assigned to which ISS body region? Answer: Chest
◉ Lumbar spine lesions would be assigned to which ISS region?
Answer: Abdomen & pelvic contents
◉ Are external injuries coded independent of their body region?
Answer: YES
◉ Hypothermia, electrical injuries, and whole body injuries are
coded to which ISS region? Answer: External
◉ The ISS score ranged from _____ to _____ ? Answer: 1 to 75
◉ What are the two ways an ISS of 75 can be achieved? Answer: 1)
AIS of 5 in each of three different body regions
2) AIS of 6 in a single body region
◉ Do patients with an AIS 9 achieve an accurate ISS score? Answer:
NO
,◉ Can less than three regions be used to calculate an ISS? Answer:
YES
◉ Can more than three regions be used to calculate an ISS? Answer:
NO
◉ Do all ISS scores have the same mortality rates? Answer: NO
(depends on body regions affected)
◉ Assigning injuries to too few body regions results in what?
Answer: underestimation of ISS
◉ Assigning injuries to too many body regions results in what?
Answer: overestimation of ISS
◉ Are complications or sequela included in the definition of an
injury? Answer: NO
◉ Define injury? Answer: Anatomic lesion resulting from transfer of
injury.
◉ List seven (7) examples of sequela that are coded in AIS as
injuries? Answer: 1) HTX/PTX
, 2) retroperitoneal hemorrhage
3) cerebral edema/swelling
4) ischemic brain damage r/t head trauma
5) blood loss
6) asphyxia
7) compartment syndrome
◉ Are preliminary (suspected, possible, rule out) dx codeable?
Answer: NO
◉ Are all clinical dx alone codeable? Answer: NO (some require
radiologic/autopsy findings)
◉ Cranial nerve contusion is coded when there is what documented?
Answer: weakness/paresis or subtotal loss of function
◉ Cranial nerve laceration is coded when what is documented?
Answer: paralysis or total loss of function
◉ What five (5) physical signs/manifestations are codeable as
basilar skull fx? Answer: 1) raccoon's eyes (periorbital ecchymosis)
2) Battle's sign (mastoid ecchymosis)
3) CSF rhinorrhea
VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ Italics in the AIS dictionary indicate what? Answer: proper-named
injuries/structures, OIS grades
◉ Does AIS assess the severity of multiple injuries? Answer: NO
(single injury severity only)
◉ The injury Severity Score (ISS) is defined as what? Answer: Sum
of the squares of highest AIS in each of 3 most severely injured ISS
body regions.
◉ What are the six body regions used in the ISS? Answer: 1) head &
neck
2) face
3) chest
4) abdomen & pelvic organs
5) extremities & pelvic girdle
6) external
◉ Asphyxia is assigned to which ISS body region? Answer: HEAD &
neck
,◉ Thoracic spine injuries are assigned to which ISS body region?
Answer: Chest
◉ Drowning is assigned to which ISS body region? Answer: Chest
◉ Lumbar spine lesions would be assigned to which ISS region?
Answer: Abdomen & pelvic contents
◉ Are external injuries coded independent of their body region?
Answer: YES
◉ Hypothermia, electrical injuries, and whole body injuries are
coded to which ISS region? Answer: External
◉ The ISS score ranged from _____ to _____ ? Answer: 1 to 75
◉ What are the two ways an ISS of 75 can be achieved? Answer: 1)
AIS of 5 in each of three different body regions
2) AIS of 6 in a single body region
◉ Do patients with an AIS 9 achieve an accurate ISS score? Answer:
NO
,◉ Can less than three regions be used to calculate an ISS? Answer:
YES
◉ Can more than three regions be used to calculate an ISS? Answer:
NO
◉ Do all ISS scores have the same mortality rates? Answer: NO
(depends on body regions affected)
◉ Assigning injuries to too few body regions results in what?
Answer: underestimation of ISS
◉ Assigning injuries to too many body regions results in what?
Answer: overestimation of ISS
◉ Are complications or sequela included in the definition of an
injury? Answer: NO
◉ Define injury? Answer: Anatomic lesion resulting from transfer of
injury.
◉ List seven (7) examples of sequela that are coded in AIS as
injuries? Answer: 1) HTX/PTX
, 2) retroperitoneal hemorrhage
3) cerebral edema/swelling
4) ischemic brain damage r/t head trauma
5) blood loss
6) asphyxia
7) compartment syndrome
◉ Are preliminary (suspected, possible, rule out) dx codeable?
Answer: NO
◉ Are all clinical dx alone codeable? Answer: NO (some require
radiologic/autopsy findings)
◉ Cranial nerve contusion is coded when there is what documented?
Answer: weakness/paresis or subtotal loss of function
◉ Cranial nerve laceration is coded when what is documented?
Answer: paralysis or total loss of function
◉ What five (5) physical signs/manifestations are codeable as
basilar skull fx? Answer: 1) raccoon's eyes (periorbital ecchymosis)
2) Battle's sign (mastoid ecchymosis)
3) CSF rhinorrhea
