RCIS Practice Test 2026 – All-in-One Exam Prep

Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect that comprises four specific anatomical anomalies. The correct answer identifies these four components accurately: pulmonic stenosis, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), and ventricular septal defect (VSD).

Pulmonic stenosis refers to a narrowing of the outflow tract from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery, which restricts blood flow to the lungs. An overriding aorta occurs when the aorta is positioned directly over the ventricular septal defect and straddles both ventricles, allowing oxygen-poor and oxygen-rich blood to mix. Right ventricular hypertrophy develops as a response to the increased workload on the right ventricle due to both the pulmonic stenosis and the resultant shunting of blood caused by the VSD, leading to the right ventricle becoming muscularly enlarged.

Identifying these specific anomalies is crucial for understanding Tetralogy of Fallot, as they directly impact the pathophysiology of the condition and guide management in affected patients. The other options present combinations of anomalies that do not accurately align with the classic definition of this specific congenital heart defect.