Exam Guide
The 'Halo Sign' After a Head Injury
Neurological · Question from the ATI RN Medical-Surgical 2023 Proctored Exam study set
Correct answer: B. CSF leak
Why this is the answer
A halo sign appears when a drop of blood-tinged drainage separates on absorbent material into a central bloody spot surrounded by a lighter ring of clear fluid — a pattern that happens because cerebrospinal fluid spreads faster than blood, indicating a dural tear and CSF leakage. Infection (A) doesn't explain this specific ring pattern. Normal drainage (C) is incorrect because ordinary wound or nasal drainage doesn't separate into rings this way. A sebaceous cyst (D) is an unrelated skin finding, not a fluid drainage pattern at all.
The bigger concept
The halo sign is a quick bedside clue nurses use alongside the glucose test to identify a CSF leak after head trauma — both point toward the same underlying concern (a dural tear) and both matter because an open path to the meninges raises meningitis risk.
Related Neurological practice questions
- What a Positive Kernig's Sign Means
- Positive Babinski Sign in an Adult
- Positive Brudzinski's Sign: The Nurse's Immediate Action
- A Halo Sign on the Bedsheet: What Comes Next
- Recognizing Decerebrate Posturing
Keep studying
← Back to the Medical-Surgical study guide hub · Practice all 70 questions free in the quiz engine