CMT Anatomy & Pathology for Mortuary Technicians 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which artery is most commonly used as the primary injection site in standard embalming?
- Right common carotid artery (Correct answer)
- Femoral artery
- Brachial artery
- Subclavian artery
Correct answer: Right common carotid artery
The right common carotid artery is the preferred primary injection site because it is easily accessible and distributes fluid effectively to the head.
Question 2: What organ is drained and treated during cavity embalming?
- The thoracic and abdominal cavities and their organs (Correct answer)
- Only the stomach and intestines
- The brain and spinal cord
- The heart and lungs only
Correct answer: The thoracic and abdominal cavities and their organs
Cavity embalming involves aspirating and injecting cavity fluid into both the thoracic and abdominal cavities and their contained organs.
Question 3: Which pathological condition causes the body to be especially difficult to embalm due to excess fluid in the tissues?
- Edema (Correct answer)
- Rigor mortis
- Adipocere
- Livor mortis
Correct answer: Edema
Edema causes tissues to be waterlogged, which dilutes embalming fluid and requires higher-index solutions and special techniques.
Question 4: The femoral triangle, a common alternate injection point, is located in which region of the body?
- Upper inner thigh (Correct answer)
- Lower abdomen
- Behind the knee
- Lateral hip
Correct answer: Upper inner thigh
The femoral triangle is located in the upper inner thigh and provides access to the femoral artery and vein for alternate injection sites.
Question 5: What does the term 'visceral organs' refer to in mortuary anatomy?
- Internal organs of the body cavities (Correct answer)
- Bones of the axial skeleton
- Superficial muscles of the face
- Peripheral nerves of the limbs
Correct answer: Internal organs of the body cavities
Visceral organs are the internal organs housed within body cavities, including the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and digestive organs.
Question 6: Rigor mortis typically begins in which muscles first?
- Facial and jaw muscles (Correct answer)
- Large muscles of the thighs
- Muscles of the hands and feet
- Core abdominal muscles
Correct answer: Facial and jaw muscles
Rigor mortis typically begins in the smaller facial and jaw muscles before progressing to larger muscle groups throughout the body.
CMT Anatomy & Pathology for Mortuary Technicians 1
Which artery is most commonly used as the primary injection site in standard embalming?