A client for whom the nurse is caring has positron emission tomography (PET) scheduled. In preparation, what should the nurse explain to the client?
The test will temporarily limit blood flow through the brain.
An allergy to iodine precludes getting the radio-opaque dye.
The client will need to endure loud noises during the test.
The test may result in dizziness or lightheadedness.
The Correct Answer is D
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a functional imaging study that uses a radioactive tracer (often glucose-based) to detect metabolic activity in the body. This scan can be used to identify areas of abnormal brain function, tumors, or degenerative disease. Because the radioactive glucose is injected intravenously, some clients may experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or headache during or after the test as a mild, transient reaction to the tracer or the metabolic shift.
Rationale for Correct Answer:
D. The test may result in dizziness or lightheadedness: Although generally safe, PET scans involve radioactive tracer injection, and clients can experience temporary side effects like dizziness or fatigue. These symptoms are usually mild and resolve quickly, but clients should be informed and monitored.
Rationale for Incorrect Answers
A. The test will temporarily limit blood flow through the brain: PET scans do not limit blood flow; instead, they assess blood flow and glucose metabolism. This statement is inaccurate and misleading.
B. An allergy to iodine precludes getting the radio-opaque dye: PET tracers are not iodine-based. Iodine allergy is relevant for contrast CT scans, but not a contraindication for PET scans.
C. The client will need to endure loud noises during the test: Unlike MRI, PET scans are quiet. There may be some mechanical sounds from the machine, but loud noises are not characteristic of PET imaging.
Key Takeaways:
• PET scans evaluate metabolic activity, not structure, using radioactive tracers.
• Clients may feel lightheaded or dizzy due to tracer injection, but this is usually brief.
• PET scans are quiet, and iodine allergy is not relevant to this procedure.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
An intraventricular catheter (ventriculostomy) is a device used to monitor intracranial pressure (ICP) and drain excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in clients with severe brain injury. While it provides valuable real-time data on ICP, it also carries a significant risk of infection because it involves direct access to the brain's ventricles. Meningitis or ventriculitis can occur if strict aseptic technique is not maintained. Nurses must closely observe for signs of infection, such as fever, change in mental status, or purulent drainage from the catheter site.
Rationale for Correct Answer:
B. Infection: Ventriculostomy catheters provide a direct route for pathogens into the central nervous system. This places the client at risk for life-threatening infections like meningitis or ventriculitis, which require immediate recognition and intervention.
Rationale for Incorrect Answers:
A. Headache: While headaches can occur with increased ICP or CSF drainage, they are not specific to ventriculostomy-related complications. Headaches are common and nonspecific and not considered a direct complication of the catheter itself.
C. Aphasia: Aphasia is a neurologic deficit related to brain injury, particularly in the dominant hemisphere, but it is not a complication of ventriculostomy. It reflects damage from the trauma itself, not the monitoring device.
D. Hypertension: Hypertension may occur as a compensatory response to increased ICP (as part of Cushing’s triad), but it is not a direct complication of the ventriculostomy catheter. It signals a systemic or neurologic response, not an issue with the catheter.
Key Takeaways:
• Infection is the most serious and common complication of ventriculostomy use.
• Nurses must maintain sterile technique and monitor closely for signs of CNS infection.
• Other symptoms like headache or hypertension may relate to the injury, not the catheter itself.
Correct Answer is ["A","C","D","F"]
Explanation
The components that contribute to intracranial pressure (ICP) are described by the Monro-Kellie doctrine: brain tissue, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and blood. The dura mater, as part of the meningeal layers, also influences ICP dynamics.
Rationale for Correct Answers:
A. Brain: The brain tissue itself is one of the primary components of intracranial volume and contributes directly to ICP.
C. Cerebrospinal Fluid: CSF circulates within the ventricles and subarachnoid space and significantly influences ICP.
D. Blood: Cerebral blood volume impacts ICP through changes in arterial or venous flow.
F. Dura mater: The dura mater helps contain the intracranial contents and plays a structural role in pressure regulation.
Rationale for Incorrect Answers:
B. Neurons: While part of brain tissue, individual neurons are not discussed separately in ICP dynamics.
E. Periosteum: This membrane covers the outer surface of bone and is not involved in intracranial volume or pressure regulation.
Key Takeaways:
• Intracranial pressure is determined by the volume of brain tissue, blood, and CSF within the skull.
• The Monro-Kellie doctrine helps explain compensatory changes among these components.
• Structures outside the cranial cavity, such as the periosteum, do not impact ICP.
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