RCIS Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Exam Prep

An Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) is a test used to assess blood flow and diagnose peripheral artery disease (PAD). The ABI is calculated by measuring the ratio of blood pressure in the ankle compared to the blood pressure in the arm (specifically, the brachial artery).

The correct answer involves comparing the left brachial pulse with the left pedal pulse. This measurement helps determine how well blood is flowing to the lower limbs in comparison to the upper limbs. A significant difference between these two readings might indicate that there is a blockage or narrowing in the arteries supplying blood to the legs.

The other choices involve different pulses that do not capture the specific relationship the ABI is intended to measure. For example, comparing different carotid pulses or radial pulses would not provide information about peripheral artery flow in the way an ABI does, nor does a comparison with surrogate and distal femoral pulses align with the standard ABI methodology, which specifically requires the ankle and brachial pulse measurements for accurate assessment.