Digestive System Exam Questions

From book

How many different functions does the liver perform?

More than 100

What is the main function of the liver?

Production of large amounts of bile

How much bile does the liver secrete per day?

1 quart, or 800-1000 mL

What is the function of bile?

Aid in the digestion of fats

What are the functions of the gallbladder?

• store bile

• concentrate bile

• contract when stimulated

What is included in the digestive system?

Entire alimentary canal and several accessory organs

What are the accessory organs of digestion?

Salivary glands, pancreas, liver, and gallbladder

What are the three functions of the digestive system?

• intake or digestion (break down food groups)

• absorption

• eliminate any unused material in the form of semisolid waste products

What is included in the alimentary canal?

• oral cavity

• pharynx

• esophagus

• stomach

• duodenum and small intestines

• large intestine

• anus

What is the beginning of the alimentary canal?

Oral cavity (mouth)

What is all included in the mouth?

• upper and lower teeth

• hard and soft palates

• uvula

• tongue

What does the oral cavity connect posteriorly with?

Pharynx

Salivary glands

Secretes saliva to aid in digestion, secretes digestive enzymes

Mastication

Chewing movements

What are the three salivary glands?

• parotid

• submandibular (submaxillary)

• sublingual

What is the largest salivary gland?

Parotid

What is the smallest salivary gland?

Sublingual

What do the salivary glands secrete?

Digestive enzymes

How much salvia do the salivary glands secrete daily?

1000-1500 mL

Deglutition

Act of swallowing

Pharynx

About 5 inches long and is found posterior to the nasal cavity, mouth, and larynx

Where is the nasopharynx located?

Posterior to the nasal cavities

Where is the oropharynx located?

Posterior to the oral cavity

Where is the laryngopharynx located?

Behind the larynx

Epiglottis

Moves down to cover the opening of the larynx during swallowing (acts as a lid)

After the laryngopharynx, the pharynx continues as the?

Esophagus

Where is the trachea located?

Anterior to the esophagus

What are two important things that must happen during swallowing?

• the soft palate closes off the nasopharynx to prevent swallowed substances from regurgitating into the nose

• the epiglottis is depressed to cover the laryngeal opening like a lid

Esophagus

Muscular canal, about 10 inches long and about ½ inch in diameter, extending from the laryngopharynx to the stomach

Where is the esophagus be located?

Posterior to the larynx and trachea

Where are the two indentations of the esophagus located?

Aortic arch and left primary bronchus

The esophagus passes through the diaphragm slightly to which side?

Left

Cardiac antrum

Abdominal segment of the esophagus

Esophagogastric junction (cardiac orifice)

Opening between the esophagus and the stomach

Peristalsis

Wavelike series of involuntary muscular contractions that propel solid and semisolid materials through the tubular alimentary canal

Where is the stomach located?

Between the esophagus and small intestine

Stomach

Serves as a reservoir for swallowed food

Cardiac orifice

Stomach opening

Cardiac sphincter

Small, circular muscle that allows food and fluid to pass through the cardiac orifice

Pyloric orifice or pylorus

Opening of the distal stomach

Pyloric sphincter

Muscular ring that allows the stomach or gastric contents to move into the first part of the small intestine (duodenum)

Lesser curvature

Found along the medial border of the stomach

Greater curvature

Found along the lateral border of the stomach

What are the three parts of the stomach?

• fundus

• body

• pylorus

Fundus

Superior portion of the stomach

What usually fills the fundus in the upright position?

Bubble of swallowed air

What are the two parts of the pylorus (distal part of stomach)?

Pyloric antrum and pyloric canal

Gastic canal

Formed by rugae along the lesser curvature of the stomach

Where is rugae found?

In the body (corpus) of the stomach

How does the body of the stomach curve from the fundus?

Inferior and anterior

In the supine position, what part of the stomach is the most posterior portion and is where the heavy barium settles?

Fundus

In the RAO, prone position, what is the highest position of the stomach, and causes gas to fill here?

Fundus

Duodenum

First portion of the small intestine, commonly called the small bowel

Where do digestion and absorption occur?

Duodenum

Where is the duodenum?

Extends from the pyloric orifice of the stomach to the ileocecal valve to join the large intestine

What is the shortest, widest, and most fixed portion of the small intestine?

Duodenum

The duodenum is closely related to what organ (nestled in the C-loop of the duodenum)?

Head of the pancreas

What are the two parts of the pancreas?

Endocrine and exocrine part

What does the endocrine part of pancreas do?

Produces hormones

What does the exocrine part of the pancreas do?

Secretes digestive enzymes

What are the four parts of the duodenum?

• duodenal bulb or cap

• second (descending) portion

• third (horizontal) portion

• fourth (ascending) portion

Where is a common site for ulcer disease?

Duodenal cap

What is the longest segment of the duodenum?

Second, descending portion

What does the second descending portion of the duodenum receive?

Common bile and pancreatic ducts

What holds the ascending portion of the duodenum in place?

Ligament of Treitz

Duodenojejunal flexure

The junction between the duodenum and the jejunum, supported by the ligament of Treitz

What is the second part of the small intestine?

Jejunum

Chyme

Stomach contents that are churned and mixed with digestive juices

Rhythmic segmentation

Churning or mixing of the small intestine, mixes food and digestive juices thoroughly

Where is the gallbladder in a hypersthenic patient?

High and almost lateral, lies well to the right of the midline in the upper abdominal cavity

What position will shift the gallbladder away from the spine?

15-20 degree LAO

Where is the gallbladder in a hyposthenic/asthenic patient?

Near the midline, at the level of the iliac crest, approximately L3-L4

What position is required to shift the gallbladder away from the spine for a hyposthenic/asthenic patient?

35-40 degree LAO

Where is the gallbladder located in a sthenic patient?

Lies midway between the lateral abdominal wall and midline (xiphoid process)

What position is required to get the gallbladder away from the spine on a sthenic patient?

20-25 degree LAO

Where is the duodenal bulb in a hypersthenic patient?

Level of T11-T12, to right of midline

Where is the duodenal bulb in a sthenic patient?

L1-L2, near midline

Where is the duodenal bulb in a hyposthenic/asthenic patient?

Level of L3-L4, at midline

Where is the stomach if your patient is short and stout?

Up and out

Where is the stomach if your patient is tall and thin?

Down and in

Radiographic procedures of the alimentary canal are similar in what three ways?

• contrast medium must be added to visualize these structures

• initial stage of each radiographic exam is carried out with fluoroscopy

• radiographic images are recorded during and after the fluoroscopic examination

What types of contrast media are used to see the gastrointestinal tract?

Radiolucent and radiopaque

What does radiolucent or negative contrast media include?

Swallowed air, CO2 gas crystals, and the normally present gas bubble in the stomach

What type of contrast absorbs more x-rays?

Barium sulfate

What is the most common contrast medium used to visualize the gastrointestinal system?

Barium sulfate (BaSO4)

What is the ratio for thin barium to water?

1 part BaSO4 to 1 part water

What is the ratio for thick barium to water?

3 or 4 parts BaSo4 to 1 part water

When are barium sulfate mixtures contraindicated?

If there is any chance that the mixture might escape into the peritoneal cavity

What should be used instead when you can’t use barium?

Water-soluble iodinated contrast media (gastroview or gastrographin)

When can’t you use water-soluble contrast?

When the patient is sensitive to iodine, or if the patient is severely dehydrated

What type of contrast procedure is most used?

Double contrast

What do double contrast exams use?

Radiolucent and radiopaque contrast

Barrett esophagus (Barrett syndrome)

Replacement of the normal squamous epithelium with columnar-lined epithelium ulcer tissue in the mid-to-lower esophagus

Dysphagia

Difficulty swallowing

Esophageal varices

Characterized by dilation of the veins in the wall of the distal esophagus

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or esophageal reflux

Entry of gastric contents into the esophagus, irritating the lining of the esophagus and is reported as heartburn by most patients

Zenker diverticulum

Characterized by large out pouching of the esophagus just above the upper esophageal sphincter

Bezoar

Mass of undigested material that becomes trapped in the stomach

What is the patient preparation of upper GI series?

• not to smoke cigarettes

• no chewing gum

• NPO (nothing per oral)

What kVp is needed to penetrate adequately and increase visibility of the barium-filled structures?

110-125