RTE 1503 Unit 3 Self Test
**1. What is the main purpose of the respiratory system?**
a) To protect the lungs
b) To move air into and out of the lungs
c) To support the heart
d) To stabilize blood pressure
**2. Which of the following is not a part of the bony thorax?**
a) Scapula
b) Clavicle
c) Manubrium
d) Larynx
**3. The primary muscle of inspiration is the:**
a) Trachea
b) Bronchi
c) Diaphragm
d) Larynx
**4. Which part of the pharynx is responsible for air passage only?**
a) Nasopharynx
b) Oropharynx
c) Laryngopharynx
d) Esophagus
**5. Which cartilage protects the trachea from food entering the lungs?**
a) Thyroid cartilage
b) Epiglottis
c) Cricoid cartilage
d) Carina
**6. What is the ridge of the lowest tracheal cartilage where the trachea divides into
right and left bronchi called?**
a) Apex
b) Carina
c) Diaphragm
d) Larynx
**7. How many secondary bronchi are in the right lung?**
a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4
**8. What tissue makes up the lung parenchyma?**
a) Bone
b) Muscle
c) Elastic, spongy tissue
d) Cartilage
**9. The space between the lungs is called the:**
a) Pleural cavity
b) Mediastinum
c) Thoracic cavity
d) Bronchioles
**10. What type of pleura lines the inner chest wall?**
a) Visceral pleura
b) Parietal pleura
c) Costal pleura
d) Pulmonary pleura
**11. Which of the following conditions involves excess fluid in the pleural cavity?**
a) Pneumothorax
b) Pleurisy
c) Hemothorax
d) Pleural effusion
**12. What is the standard number of ribs that should be visible on a good PA chest
X-ray?**
a) 8
b) 10
c) 12
d) 14
**13. The minimum number of ribs visible on an expiration PA image for diagnosing
pneumothorax is:**
a) 4
b) 6
c) 8
d) 10
**14. When positioning a patient for a lateral chest radiograph, how should the arms
be placed?**
a) On hips
b) Above the head
c) Behind the back
d) Hanging by the sides
**15. In a chest radiograph, the carina is located near which vertebral level?**
a) C1
b) C3
c) T4
d) T7
**16. Which patient position is most common for a PA chest radiograph?**
a) Supine
b) Erect
c) Prone
d) Oblique
**17. What is the main advantage of doing chest radiographs in an erect position?**
a) Better patient comfort
b) Reduces patient exposure
c) Prevents pulmonary vessel engorgement
d) Better visualization of foreign bodies
**18. What is the standard breathing instruction for chest radiography?**
a) Breathe normally
b) Hold breath after expiration
c) Hold breath after full inspiration
d) Breathe in deeply and out fully
**19. What condition would require both inspiration and expiration chest X-rays?**
a) Pleural effusion
b) Pneumonia
c) Pneumothorax
d) Atelectasis
**20. For an AP chest, how is the central ray positioned?**
a) Below the clavicles
b) Midway between the sternum and diaphragm
c) At the level of T7
d) At the top of the scapula
**21. A lordotic chest view is best used to visualize which part of the lungs?**
a) Apices
b) Bases
c) Middle lobes
d) Hilum
**22. Which of the following is a clinical indication for chest radiography?**
a) Appendicitis
b) Pleural effusion
c) Gastroenteritis
d) Kidney stones
**23. What is pleurisy?**
a) Inflammation of the lungs
b) Inflammation of the pleura
c) Air in the pleural cavity
d) Fluid in the pleural cavity
**24. The right lung has how many lobes?**
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
**25. What does a lateral decubitus position show on a chest radiograph?**
a) Lung masses
b) Air-fluid levels
c) Pleural thickening
d) Tracheal deviation
**26. How many posterior ribs must be visible to confirm a full inspiration on a chest
X-ray?**
a) 5
b) 8
c) 10
d) 12
**27. What is the role of the thymus in radiography of children?**
a) To prevent pneumonia
b) It's large in children and visible on chest X-rays
c) It secretes enzymes for breathing
d) It stabilizes the mediastinum
**28. What is the position used for an oblique chest X-ray?**
a) 45 degrees rotation
b) 30 degrees rotation
c) 15 degrees rotation
d) No rotation
**29. For portable AP chest radiographs, what can obscure the apices?**
a) Diaphragm
b) Clavicles
c) Scapula
d) Sternum
**30. Which anatomical landmark is used to center a PA chest X-ray?**
a) Xiphoid process
b) Jugular notch
c) Vertebra prominens
d) Sternal angle
**31. Which pathology is characterized by air in the pleural cavity?**
a) Pneumonia
b) Pleural effusion
c) Pneumothorax
d) Atelectasis
**32. What is the correct positioning for a PA chest X-ray regarding the scapulae?**
a) Scapulae should be superimposed on the lungs
b) Scapulae should be visible on both sides of the chest
c) Scapulae should be rotated forward and out of the lung fields
d) Scapulae should be centered in the middle of the lung fields
**33. For a lateral chest X-ray, the central ray (CR) is directed at the level of:**
a) T3
b) T5
c) T7
d) T9
**34. When positioning for a left lateral chest radiograph, what is the primary
reason for having the patient place their arms above their head?**
a) To make the patient more comfortable
b) To avoid superimposition over the lung fields
c) To balance the weight distribution
d) To prevent rotation of the torso
**35. Which part of the respiratory system is the site of gas exchange?**
a) Pharynx
b) Trachea
c) Bronchioles
d) Alveoli
**36. Which of the following is not a proper way to protect the patient during chest
radiography?**
a) Limiting repeat exposures
b) Using gonadal shielding
c) Using high mA and short exposure time
d) Increasing the kV beyond diagnostic requirements
**37. How does a supine position in a chest X-ray affect the appearance of the
heart?**
a) It appears smaller
b) It appears larger
c) It remains unchanged
d) It becomes less visible
**38. The diaphragm moves down farther when the patient is in which position?**
a) Supine
b) Erect
c) Prone
d) Oblique
**39. For chest radiography, why is high kV (110 to 125) generally used?**
a) To reduce patient dose
b) To increase image contrast
c) To penetrate the mediastinum and heart
d) To reduce exposure time
**40. The best method for ensuring no rotation in a PA chest X-ray is to:**
a) Check for symmetry of the clavicles
b) Check the alignment of the spinous processes
c) Ensure equal spacing of the ribs
d) Rotate the patient’s shoulders forward
**41. How can you distinguish if a PA chest X-ray is of diagnostic quality?**
a) Only the apices are visible
b) The lower ribs are cut off
c) The entire lungs and costophrenic angles are visible
d) The clavicles are centered over the lungs
**42. What is the most common clinical indication for using a lateral decubitus chest
X-ray?**
a) Diagnosis of pneumonia
b) Detection of pneumothorax
c) Detection of fluid levels in pleural effusion
d) Visualization of lung masses
**43. The mediastinum contains which of the following structures?**
a) Lungs and bronchi
b) Trachea and lungs
c) Heart, esophagus, and thymus
d) Diaphragm and bronchi
**44. For a PA chest X-ray, which topographic landmark is used to center the central
ray (CR) at T7?**
a) Xiphoid process
b) Inferior angle of the scapula
c) Jugular notch
d) Vertebra prominens
**45. When imaging for a suspected pneumothorax, why is both an inspiration and
expiration chest X-ray performed?**
a) To demonstrate fluid in the pleural cavity
b) To check for atelectasis
c) To evaluate air movement and lung collapse
d) To view the lung apices more clearly
**46. A left lateral decubitus chest X-ray is best for demonstrating which condition?
**
a) Right-sided pleural effusion
b) Left-sided pneumothorax
c) Left-sided pleural effusion
d) Right-sided lung mass
**47. What is the proper collimation guideline for a chest X-ray?**
a) Collimation should extend beyond the thorax
b) Equal collimation should be visible above the apices and below the costophrenic
angles
c) Collimation should include the diaphragm only
d) Collimation should cover the entire rib cage
**48. How should patient preparation be carried out for a chest radiograph?**
a) Remove opaque objects and ask the patient to keep long hair down
b) Only remove metallic objects from the head and neck region
c) Remove opaque objects and secure long hair to avoid artifacts
d) Only remove accessories around the chest area
**49. In pediatric chest radiography, what is often used to immobilize infants and
young children?**
a) Lead aprons
b) Pigg-O-Stat
c) Sandbags
d) Sponges
**50. Why is a caudal angle often used in portable chest X-rays?**
a) To compensate for patient height
b) To avoid rotation
c) To simulate the PA projection and avoid obscuring the lung apices with the
clavicles
d) To ensure better contrast
---
**1.** b) To move air into and out of the lungs
**2.** d) Larynx
**3.** c) Diaphragm
**4.** a) Nasopharynx
**5.** b) Epiglottis
**6.** b) Carina
**7.** c) 3
**8.** c) Elastic, spongy tissue
**9.** b) Mediastinum
**10.** b) Parietal pleura
**11.** d) Pleural effusion
**12.** b) 10
**13.** c) 8
**14.** b) Above the head
**15.** c) T4
**16.** b) Erect
**17.** c) Prevents pulmonary vessel engorgement
**18.** c) Hold breath after full inspiration
**19.** c) Pneumothorax
**20.** c) At the level of T7
**21.** a) Apices
**22.** b) Pleural effusion
**23.** b) Inflammation of the pleura
**24.** b) 3
**25.** b) Air-fluid levels
**26.** c) 10
**27.** b) It's large in children and visible on chest X-rays
**28.** a) 45 degrees rotation
**29.** b) Clavicles
**30.** c) Vertebra prominens
**31.** c) Pneumothorax
**32.** c) Scapulae should be rotated forward and out of the lung fields
**33.** c) T7
**34.** b) To avoid superimposition over the lung fields
**35.** d) Alveoli
**36.** d) Increasing the kV beyond diagnostic requirements
**37.** b) It appears larger
**38.** b) Erect
**39.** c) To penetrate the mediastinum and heart
**40.** b) Check the alignment of the spinous processes
**41.** c) The entire lungs and costophrenic angles are visible
**42.** c) Detection of fluid levels in pleural effusion
**43.** c) Heart, esophagus, and thymus
**44.** b) Inferior angle of the scapula
**45.** c) To evaluate air movement and lung collapse
**46.** c) Left-sided pleural effusion
**47.** b) Equal collimation should be visible above the apices and below the
costophrenic angles
**48.** c) Remove opaque objects and secure long hair to avoid artifacts
**49.** b) Pigg-O-Stat
**50.** c) To simulate the PA projection and avoid obscuring the lung apices with the
clavicles
---
### **True/False Questions: Chest Radiography**
---
**1.** The diaphragm is the primary muscle involved in respiration.
**Answer:** True
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**2.** The left lung is divided into three lobes, while the right lung has two lobes.
**Answer:** False
---
**3.** The trachea is located anterior to the esophagus.
**Answer:** True
---
**4.** A pneumothorax is characterized by the presence of excess fluid in the
pleural cavity.
**Answer:** False
---
**5.** Chest X-rays taken in the erect position allow for better visualization of air-
fluid levels.
**Answer:** True
---
**6.** The pleura consists of two layers: the visceral pleura, which covers the lungs,
and the parietal pleura, which lines the chest wall.
**Answer:** True
---
**7.** The carina is the ridge where the trachea divides into the right and left
bronchi.
**Answer:** True
---
**8.** The lateral chest X-ray is primarily used to evaluate the heart and great
vessels.
**Answer:** False
---
**9.** In a good quality PA chest X-ray, at least 12 posterior ribs should be visible
above the diaphragm.
**Answer:** False (It should be a minimum of 10 posterior ribs.)
---
**10.** Chest radiography for pediatric patients often requires immobilization
devices such as the Pigg-O-Stat to prevent movement.
**Answer:** True
---
