Chest imaging: pulmonary artery catheter position: practice question

A Radiology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Radiology · Chest imaging: pulmonary artery catheter position

Sample item

A chest radiograph of an ICU patient with a Swan-Ganz catheter shows the tip lying in the distal right interlobar pulmonary artery, far out in the lung periphery. What is the risk?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Pulmonary infarction or pulmonary artery rupture

The catheter tip should lie in the main or proximal right or left pulmonary artery. A peripheral tip may occlude the vessel, producing pulmonary infarction, or perforate the artery in the case of balloon inflation.

Option by option

  • A. Pulmonary infarction or pulmonary artery rupture (correct)

    Correct. A distal tip risks infarct or arterial rupture.

  • B. Air embolism through the catheter

    Air embolism is a risk of an open line rather than tip depth.

  • C. Superior vena cava obstruction

    SVC obstruction is not linked to a distal pulmonary tip.

  • D. Pneumothorax only

    Pneumothorax is a complication of line insertion rather than tip position.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, Pulmonary infarction or pulmonary artery rupture. The catheter tip should lie in the main or proximal right or left pulmonary artery.

Why is "Air embolism through the catheter" not the answer?

Air embolism is a risk of an open line rather than tip depth.

Why is "Superior vena cava obstruction" not the answer?

SVC obstruction is not linked to a distal pulmonary tip.

Why is "Pneumothorax only" not the answer?

Pneumothorax is a complication of line insertion rather than tip position.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Chest imaging: pulmonary artery catheter position in Radiology. A peripheral tip may occlude the vessel, producing pulmonary infarction, or perforate the artery in the case of balloon inflation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Chest imaging: pulmonary artery catheter position?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.