10 exam-style questions with answers and explanations, straight from our 1,030-question bank. Tap an answer to check yourself. When you're ready, take the scored version in the free practice test.
The CCD exam has 100 questions and runs 1 hour 40 minutes.
These 10 free CCD questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Certified Clinical Densitometrist blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.
A patient begins antiresorptive therapy. On follow-up densitometry, the lumbar spine typically shows a measurable rise in BMD earlier, and of greater magnitude, than the one-third radius. The BEST explanation is that the lumbar spine:
Correct answer: C - Consists predominantly of trabecular bone, which turns over more rapidly
A 71-year-old woman fractures her distal radius after tripping on a level pavement and landing on her outstretched hand. For the purposes of osteoporosis assessment, this fracture is BEST classified as:
Correct answer: A - A fragility fracture, since it resulted from a fall from standing height or less
Romosozumab produces its dual effect on bone by neutralizing sclerostin. Sclerostin is secreted principally by which cell?
Correct answer: D - Osteocytes
A densitometry facility is replacing its DXA system with one from a different manufacturer. Which procedure does ISCD specify so that patients' earlier measurements remain usable for comparison?
Correct answer: B - Scan 30 patients once on the old system and twice on the new within 60 days, then cross-calibrate
Which of the following would be expected to falsely DECREASE the measured lumbar spine BMD?
Correct answer: C - A posterior laminectomy at L4
On a proximal femur scan the lesser trochanter appears large and fully profiled. This indicates that the femur is:
Correct answer: A - Externally rotated, which tends to falsely raise femoral neck BMD
A patient asks about radiation exposure from DXA. ISCD guidance places the effective dose of a routine PA lumbar spine and proximal femur study at less than 10 microsieverts. This is approximately equivalent to:
Correct answer: D - One day of natural background radiation
A facility determines its lumbar spine precision error to be 1.5%. What is the least significant change at 95% confidence?
Correct answer: B - 4.16%
A PA lumbar spine study yields T-scores of L1 -1.0, L2 -2.3, L3 -2.4 and L4 -2.5. The image shows endplate sclerosis and a prominent osteophyte at L1 only. Which action is MOST appropriate?
Correct answer: C - Exclude L1 and base the reported result on L2, L3 and L4
A proximal femur report lists a femoral neck T-score of -2.2, trochanter -1.8, Ward's area -3.1 and total hip -2.1. Which value should be used for diagnostic classification?
Correct answer: A - The femoral neck value of -2.2, the lower of the two valid sites
The CCD exam also covers these domains. Drill them in the full free practice test:
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