Prepare for the ARRT MRI Technologist exam with these practice questions and answers. This guide covers MRI physics, patient screening, safety protocols, pulse sequences, and image optimization.

Q: If a brain exam is being performed and the request is made to rule out acoustic neuroma, a protocol with thin cuts through the _________ should be performed.

Answer: Inner auditory canals

Q: The _____________ imaging plane would be the most optimal slice orientation for evaluation of Arnold Chiari Malformation and its inferior cerebellar tonsillar herniation.

Answer: sagittal

Q: A FLAIR sequence with a long TI is utilized to:

Answer: null the signal from CSF

Q: If a brain exam is being perfomed and the request is made to rule out microadenoma due to elevated prolactin levels, a protocol with thin cuts through the ____________ should be performed.

Answer: pituitary gland

Q: If a brain exam is being perfomed and the request is made to rule out globe tumor due to symptoms of diplopia, a protocol with thin cuts through the ____________ should be performed

Answer: orbits/ optic nerves

Q: MR findings of a low volume corpus callosum and increased white matter lesions can be indicative of a diagnosis of:

Answer: multiple sclerosis

Q: If a brain exam is being performed and the request is made to evaluate cranial nerves VII and VIII due to the patient’s symptoms of tinnitus, a protocol with thin cuts through the ____________ should be performed.

Answer: Inner Auditory Canal

Q: How many cranial nerves are there?

Answer: 12 pairs

Q: To best visualize the pituitary gland in MRI, high resolution T1 weighted images in the __________ planes pre and post contrast are optimal.

Answer: sagittal and coronal

Q: ____________ is a condition in which part of the cerebellar tonsil is displaced through the foramen magnum.

Answer: chiari malformation

Q: When imaging a hemorrhagic infarct in the brain, which pulse sequence would demonstrate the magnetic susceptibility effects better?

Answer: gradient echo

Q: _______ sequences are performed to suppress CSF (cerebro-spinal fluid)and aid in the detection of demyelination.

Answer: FLAIR

Q: The brainstem includes what?

Answer: midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata

Q: On a T2 weighted image, CSF appears bright because it has a __________ relaxation time.

Answer: long T2

Q: Which area(s) of the brain is/are typically affected in patients with a history of epilepsy?

Answer: frontal lobe and/or temporal lobe

Q: The right and left optic nerve join at the:

Answer: Optic chiasm

Q: The medial and lateral rectus muscles are located in the:

Answer: Eyes

Q: What scan plane would be optimal for visualization of the hippocampus?

Answer: Coronal oblique

Q: Which dural venous sinuses drain from the confluence of sinuses (by the internal occipital protuberance) to the mastoid portion of the temporal?

Answer: Transverse sinuses

Q: The stalk of the pituitary gland is also known as the

Answer: Infundibulum

Q: Which structure lies adjacent to the head of the caudate nucleus?

Answer: Anterior horn of the lateral ventricle

Q: In the TMJ’s, the articular disc lies between what two anatomical structures?

Answer: Mandibular fossa and mandibular condyle

Q: The insular cortex is primarily responsible for:

Answer: Motor control; cognitive function

Q: Which cranial nerve is responsible for Bell’s Palsy?

Answer: Cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve)

Q: To accurately depict the VII and VIII cranial nerves, the patient would centered at the level of the:

Answer: External auditory meatus

Q: The dural venous sinuses that drain into the internal jugular vein are the:

Answer: Sigmoid sinus

Q: When positioning a patient for a brain MRI, the centering should be placed at what anatomical landmark?

Answer: Nasion

Q: If the third ventricle is dilated, but the fourth ventricle is not, there would then be pathology associated with:

Answer: Aqueduct of Sylvius

Q: A depression in the base of the skull where the pituitary gland is located is called the ___________.

Answer: Sella turcica

Q: Which fissure divides the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobes?

Answer: sylvan fissure

Q: The __________________ runs the length of the falx cerebri.

Answer: Superior sagittal sinus

Q: How do the vertebral arteries enter the cranium?

Answer: foramen magnum

Q: What would be the most useful sequence for evaluation of an acute stroke?

Answer: diffusion weighted

Q: When performing an MRI to confirm a suspected pituitary microadenoma, contrast is injected and imaging is performed:

Answer: Rapidly

Q: Lesions appear as _____________________ compared to the enhanced pituitary gland in contrast MR imaging

Answer: low signal intensity

Q: When performing MRI to rule out brain tumors, the weighted images acquired to evaluate the extent of lesion involvement, after injection of gadolinium, are:

Answer: T1 weighted

Q: Identify the optic nerve (Cranial nerve II)- left side

Answer: The SNR will decrease and the scan time will increase

Q: identify the basilar artery

Answer: 3

Q: identify the trochlear nerve (cranial nerve IV)- right. side

Answer: reducing TE

Q: identify Oculomotor nerve (CN III)- left side

Answer: contrast information

Q: Identify Trochlear nerve (CN IV)- left side

Answer: With a decrease in spatial resolution

Q: Identify Oculomotor nerve (CN III)- right side

Answer: one line at a time

Q: Identify Optic nerve (CN II)- right. side

Answer: higher; more

Q: Identify Olfactory nerve (CN I)- right side

Answer: Pixel, two-dimensional

Q: Identify Olfactory nerve (CN I)- left side

Answer: Projects the high intensity pixels which represent blood vessels/ducts into one image

Q: Identify Abducens nerve (CN VI)- right side

Answer: Encoding oblique slice planes

Q: IdentifyTrigeminal nerve (CN V)- Right side

Answer: Frequency encoding

Q: Identify Abducens nerve (CN VI)- Left side

Answer: 4

Q: Identify Trigeminal nerve (CN V)- Left side

Answer: Increase

Q: identify the trochlear nerve (cranial nerve IV)- right. side

Answer: Slices will be thin

Q: Identify Trochlear nerve (CN IV)- left side

Answer: cubic

Q: Identify the cochlea

Answer: 12

Q: Identify Facial nerve (CN VII)- left side

Answer: 15

Q: identify the semicircular canal

Answer: False

Q: identify the Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)- Left side

Answer: Multi-Planar reconstruction (MPR)

Q: identify the Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)- right. side

Answer: greater SNR and elimination of crosstalk artifacts.

Q: identify the facial nerve- right side

Answer: Fourier transform

Q: identify the Spinal accessory nerve (CN XI)

Answer: FID

Q: Identify the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)- Left side

Answer: a gradient

Q: Identify the hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)- Right side

Answer: Raw data

Q: identify chiari malformation

Answer: RF energy application

Q: identify syrinx

Answer: Change the slice thickness

Q: identify vestibular schwannoma

Answer: Remain constant

Q: identify pituitary tumor

Answer: produce an oblique slice