Biomedical Engineering & Medical Devices Prometric exam questions with answers

1. Question 1Advanced Electronics and Electricitymedium

   An inverting op-amp amplifier has a 10 kilohm input resistor and a 100 kilohm feedback resistor. A 0.2 V signal is applied. What is the output voltage?

   1. APlus 2 V
   2. BMinus 2 V
   3. CMinus 0.02 V
   4. DPlus 2.2 V
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Minus 2 V

   Inverting gain is minus Rf over Rin, which is minus 10, so 0.2 V gives minus 2 V. Plus 2 V ignores the inversion, minus 0.02 V divides instead of multiplying, and plus 2.2 V applies the non-inverting gain of 11.

   Reference: Horowitz and Hill, The Art of Electronics, 3rd ed., 2015

2. Question 2Anatomy and Physiologyhard

   A finger pulse oximeter reads 98% on a patient who is confused after smoke inhalation, yet the arterial blood is poorly oxygenated. What explains the misleading reading?

   1. AMethaemoglobin has no absorbance at either wavelength, so it is ignored
   2. BCarboxyhaemoglobin absorbs red light much like oxyhaemoglobin, so it is counted as saturated
   3. CFetal haemoglobin blocks infrared light and raises the ratio
   4. DLow skin temperature raises the reading by about ten points on most devices
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Carboxyhaemoglobin absorbs red light much like oxyhaemoglobin, so it is counted as saturated

   Two-wavelength oximeters cannot tell carboxyhaemoglobin from oxyhaemoglobin, so carbon monoxide poisoning gives a falsely normal reading. Methaemoglobin does absorb light, fetal haemoglobin is not the cause here, and cold skin gives poor signal rather than a fixed overread.

   Reference: Webster (ed.), Medical Instrumentation: Application and Design, 4th ed., 2010

3. Question 3Biomedical Equipment Technologymedium

   An oscillometric blood pressure monitor shows an unusual diastolic value on one patient. Which pressure does the device detect directly from the cuff oscillations?

   1. AThe systolic pressure at the first Korotkoff sound heard by the cuff microphone
   2. BThe mean arterial pressure, found at the maximum oscillation amplitude
   3. CThe diastolic pressure at the last audible sound under the cuff
   4. DThe pulse pressure measured as the width of each oscillation envelope
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. The mean arterial pressure, found at the maximum oscillation amplitude

   Oscillometric devices find the cuff pressure with the largest oscillations, which approximates mean arterial pressure, and then calculate systolic and diastolic values with a manufacturer algorithm. Korotkoff sounds belong to auscultation and are not sensed, and pulse pressure is not read from oscillation width.

   Reference: ISO 81060-2:2018, Non-invasive sphygmomanometers, clinical validation

4. Question 4Chemistrymedium

   A blood gas analyser measures partial pressure of oxygen with a Clark electrode. What produces the signal?

   1. AOxygen oxidises a silver anode, producing a voltage that is proportional to blood pH
   2. BOxygen is reduced at a platinum cathode, giving a current that follows PO2
   3. CHydrogen ions cross a thin glass membrane and generate a Nernst potential at the sensor
   4. DLight absorbed by oxygen at 660 nm changes the resistance of a photosensitive cell
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: B. Oxygen is reduced at a platinum cathode, giving a current that follows PO2

   The Clark electrode reduces oxygen diffusing through a membrane at a polarised platinum cathode, and the current follows PO2. Glass membrane potentials describe the pH electrode, and optical absorbance is how oximeters work, not the Clark cell.

   Reference: Khandpur, Handbook of Biomedical Instrumentation, 3rd ed., 2014

5. Question 5Medical Informaticseasy

   A CT scanner sends images to the hospital archive. Which standard defines the image format and network transfer between the modality and the archive?

   1. AHL7 version 2 ADT
   2. BICD-10
   3. CDICOM
   4. DLOINC
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. DICOM

   DICOM defines how medical images and related data are formatted and exchanged between modalities and archives. HL7 ADT carries admission messages, ICD-10 codes diagnoses and LOINC codes laboratory observations.

   Reference: NEMA, DICOM PS3, current edition

6. Question 6Medical Informaticsmedium

   A vendor describes its clinical data interface as based on resources exchanged through a web API in JSON. Which standard is this?

   1. AHL7 version 2 pipe-delimited messaging
   2. BDICOM Part 10 files
   3. CHL7 FHIR
   4. DIEEE 11073 device communication
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. HL7 FHIR

   FHIR defines resources exchanged over RESTful web services in JSON or XML. HL7 v2 uses pipe-delimited segments, DICOM Part 10 is a file format for images, and IEEE 11073 covers point-of-care device data.

   Reference: HL7 International, FHIR Release 4 (v4.0.1), 2019

7. Question 7Research and Designhard

   A study compares a new tympanic thermometer with a reference thermometer on 80 patients. Which analysis best shows agreement between the two?

   1. AA Bland-Altman plot of differences against means with limits of agreement
   2. BThe correlation coefficient between the two sets of readings taken on each patient
   3. CA comparison of the highest reading obtained from each device across the whole group
   4. DA count of how many readings are shown in the same colour on the device screen
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: A. A Bland-Altman plot of differences against means with limits of agreement

   Bland-Altman analysis shows bias and the range within which most differences fall. High correlation can coexist with poor agreement, and maximum values or display colour say nothing about agreement.

   Reference: Bland and Altman, Lancet 1986;1:307-310

8. Question 8Physicseasy

   A transducer is needed for imaging the thyroid, a structure only a few centimetres below the skin. Which probe is the best choice?

   1. AA curvilinear array operating at about 2 to 5 MHz
   2. BA phased array operating at about 1 to 3 MHz
   3. CA linear array operating at about 10 to 15 MHz
   4. DA continuous-wave pencil probe at about 20 kHz
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: C. A linear array operating at about 10 to 15 MHz

   High frequency gives fine resolution at the cost of penetration, which suits superficial structures. Low-frequency probes penetrate deeper but resolve less, and a kilohertz continuous-wave probe is not an imaging transducer.

   Reference: Bushberg et al., The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, 4th ed., 2021

9. Question 9Physicseasy

   A point X-ray source gives 4 mGy per hour at 1 m. Ignoring scatter, what is the rate at 2 m?

   1. A2 mGy per hour
   2. B0.5 mGy per hour
   3. C8 mGy per hour
   4. D1 mGy per hour
   Show answer and explanation▾

   Answer: D. 1 mGy per hour

   Intensity falls with the square of distance, so doubling the distance divides it by four. A halving rate would be 2 mGy, 0.5 mGy divides by eight, and 8 mGy is an increase.

   Reference: Bushberg et al., The Essential Physics of Medical Imaging, 4th ed., 2021

10. Question 10Practical Experienceeasy

    A bedside suction unit arrives with no display and no motor sound. Which step comes first in systematic troubleshooting?

    1. ACheck the power outlet, mains cable, fuse and power switch for faults
    2. BReplace the suction motor first and then test the unit again under load
    3. COpen the main board and re-solder the connectors that look doubtful
    4. DSend the unit for external calibration before the simple checks are made
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Check the power outlet, mains cable, fuse and power switch for faults

    Start with the simplest and cheapest causes, such as supply, cable and fuse, before opening or replacing parts. Replacing the motor or reworking the board is premature and calibration does not fix a dead unit.

    Reference: Dyro (ed.), Clinical Engineering Handbook, 2004

11. Question 11Professionalismeasy

    A nurse asks the technician to skip a failed alarm self-test on an infusion pump because the ward is short of pumps. What is the correct response?

    1. ADecline, tag the pump out of service and report it to the supervisor promptly
    2. BSkip the test this one time and record the omission in the log later in the shift
    3. CDisable the alarm so that the pump does not warn the nurse during the infusion
    4. DReturn it to the ward once the nurse signs a waiver accepting the risk
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Decline, tag the pump out of service and report it to the supervisor promptly

    A pump with a failed alarm self-test is unsafe and must be removed from use until repaired. Skipping the test, disabling the alarm, or relying on a waiver from a nurse all leave patients exposed to unsafe equipment.

    Reference: Dyro (ed.), Clinical Engineering Handbook, 2004

12. Question 12Patient Safety, Electrical Safety and Hazardsmedium

    Ward nurses complain about too many nuisance alarms on bedside monitors and want them turned off. What is the appropriate action?

    1. AReview and tailor alarm limits and settings through the hospital's alarm management process
    2. BTurn off the alarms on the monitors in the ward
    3. CMute the speakers permanently with tape
    4. DReplace the monitors with newer models straight away
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. Review and tailor alarm limits and settings through the hospital's alarm management process

    Alarm fatigue is addressed by clinically agreed limits, appropriate defaults and training, not by removing alarms. Disabling or muting them hides real danger, and buying new monitors does not fix settings.

    Reference: IEC 60601-1-8:2006+A1:2012+A2:2020; Joint Commission NPSG.06.01.01

13. Question 13Professionalismeasy

    A technician finishes a preventive maintenance visit on a patient monitor. Which entry is essential in the maintenance record?

    1. AThe technician's signature and the date of the visit, kept on a separate sheet
    2. BThe purchase price of the monitor and the discount given by the vendor in the contract
    3. CThe asset number, date, tests with results, parts used and the outcome
    4. DA general comment that the monitor appeared to work well during the visit
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: C. The asset number, date, tests with results, parts used and the outcome

    A complete record lets later staff trace the device and prove tests were done. A signature alone, purchase details or a vague comment do not demonstrate what was tested or found.

    Reference: IEC 62353:2014, Recurrent test and test after repair of medical electrical equipment

14. Question 14Practical Experiencemedium

    Which tasks belong in the scheduled preventive maintenance of a manual defibrillator?

    1. AReplacing the thermal paper roll and wiping the outside of the case clean
    2. BUpdating the hospital's insurance details for the device each financial year
    3. CRecalibrating the audio volume of the alarm tones and the charge tone
    4. DBattery capacity test, energy delivery test and a check of paddles and leads
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: D. Battery capacity test, energy delivery test and a check of paddles and leads

    Defibrillator readiness depends on battery capacity and accurate energy delivery, together with intact leads and paddles. Paper and cleaning alone do not test function, and the other items are unrelated.

    Reference: IEC 62353:2014; IEC 60601-2-4:2010

15. Question 15Regulation and Standardseasy

    In Saudi Arabia, which authority regulates the marketing and post-market surveillance of medical devices?

    1. AThe Saudi Food and Drug Authority
    2. BThe Saudi Central Board for Accreditation of Healthcare Institutions
    3. CThe Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs
    4. DThe Saudi Commission for Health Specialties
    Show answer and explanation▾

    Answer: A. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority

    SFDA regulates medical devices, including marketing authorisation and adverse event reporting. CBAHI accredits healthcare facilities, SCFHS registers and classifies practitioners, and the municipal ministry does not regulate devices.

    Reference: SFDA, Medical Devices Interim Regulation (MDS-IR), current edition

Last reviewed September 2026. Questions are original and written to the published exam blueprint; they are not taken from any real paper.