RVT ARDMS EXAM COMPREHENSIVE STUDY
GUIDE 2026 VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ In posterior to anterior collateralization, flow reverses in the
______artery Answer: Posterior communicating artery
◉ What material are carotid stents commonly made from? Answer:
Nitinol
◉ After an endarterctomy, a patient presents with ipsilateral
headache, contralateral neurological deficits, and seizure. What
should you suspect? Answer: Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome
(Reperfusion syndrome)
◉ At what location is re-stenosis most common with a carotid stent?
Answer: Stent attachment sites
◉ What is the most common location of vertebral artery stenosis?
Answer: Vertebral artery origin
◉ What causes a subclavian steal? Answer: occlusion or stenosis of
the proximal subclavian artery
,◉ Which side does subclavian steal usually occur on? Answer: left
◉ In a patient with a subclavian steal, you should expect the brachial
pressure in the affected arm to be________ compared to the normal
arm. Answer: > or = 20 mmHg less
◉ If a patient with a partial subclavian steal exercises their arm,
what do you expect to happen? Answer: Complete steal
◉ What does early systolic deceleration in the vertebral artery
indicate? Answer: Presteal
◉ What disease is associated with a "string of pearls" appearance in
a blood vessel? Answer: Fibromuscular dysplasia
◉ Where is a carotid body tumor located? Answer: CCA bifurcation
◉ What patient population has the highest incidence of carotid body
tumor? (2) Answer: Females, high altitude
◉ Is a carotid body tumor highly vascular? Answer: Yes
, ◉ Absence or moderate to severe hypoplasia of large cerebral
arteries and saccular aneurysms of any cerebral arteries are
associated with what disease? Answer: PHACE syndrome
◉ What does the PHACE syndrome stand for? Answer: - Posterior
fossa anomalies
- hemangiomas
- arterial anomalies
- cardiac anomalies /coarctation of aorta
- eye anomalies
◉ What disease causes extrinsic compression of the carotid by an
elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament? Answer:
Eagle syndrome
◉ What would cause double systolic peaks in the carotid artery? (2)
Answer: Aortic regurgitation, Intraaortic Balloon Pump
◉ What two signs do you expect to see in the CCA waveforms of a
patient with cardiac tamponade? Answer: Respiratory variation,
pulsus alternans
◉ In most patients the ECA is the _______ branch. Answer:
anteromedial
GUIDE 2026 VERIFIED ANSWERS
◉ In posterior to anterior collateralization, flow reverses in the
______artery Answer: Posterior communicating artery
◉ What material are carotid stents commonly made from? Answer:
Nitinol
◉ After an endarterctomy, a patient presents with ipsilateral
headache, contralateral neurological deficits, and seizure. What
should you suspect? Answer: Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome
(Reperfusion syndrome)
◉ At what location is re-stenosis most common with a carotid stent?
Answer: Stent attachment sites
◉ What is the most common location of vertebral artery stenosis?
Answer: Vertebral artery origin
◉ What causes a subclavian steal? Answer: occlusion or stenosis of
the proximal subclavian artery
,◉ Which side does subclavian steal usually occur on? Answer: left
◉ In a patient with a subclavian steal, you should expect the brachial
pressure in the affected arm to be________ compared to the normal
arm. Answer: > or = 20 mmHg less
◉ If a patient with a partial subclavian steal exercises their arm,
what do you expect to happen? Answer: Complete steal
◉ What does early systolic deceleration in the vertebral artery
indicate? Answer: Presteal
◉ What disease is associated with a "string of pearls" appearance in
a blood vessel? Answer: Fibromuscular dysplasia
◉ Where is a carotid body tumor located? Answer: CCA bifurcation
◉ What patient population has the highest incidence of carotid body
tumor? (2) Answer: Females, high altitude
◉ Is a carotid body tumor highly vascular? Answer: Yes
, ◉ Absence or moderate to severe hypoplasia of large cerebral
arteries and saccular aneurysms of any cerebral arteries are
associated with what disease? Answer: PHACE syndrome
◉ What does the PHACE syndrome stand for? Answer: - Posterior
fossa anomalies
- hemangiomas
- arterial anomalies
- cardiac anomalies /coarctation of aorta
- eye anomalies
◉ What disease causes extrinsic compression of the carotid by an
elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament? Answer:
Eagle syndrome
◉ What would cause double systolic peaks in the carotid artery? (2)
Answer: Aortic regurgitation, Intraaortic Balloon Pump
◉ What two signs do you expect to see in the CCA waveforms of a
patient with cardiac tamponade? Answer: Respiratory variation,
pulsus alternans
◉ In most patients the ECA is the _______ branch. Answer:
anteromedial
