FMGE 2023 - Radiology PYQs Practice Questions

Q: In the given barium swallow image, which of the following shows the left atrium impression on the esophagus?

3. ***Correct: Option 3*** - This pointer correctly identifies the impression on the esophagus caused by the **left atrium**, which is the most posterior chamber of the heart. - An enlarged left atrium, often seen in conditions like **mitral stenosis**, can cause a prominent posterior indentation on the esophagus at this level. - The left atrium impression is typically seen at the level of T4-T6 vertebrae on barium swallow studies. *Incorrect: None of them* - This option is incorrect as the image clearly shows normal anatomical impressions on the esophagus, and pointer 3 correctly identifies the left atrial impression. - A barium swallow is a standard radiological procedure to visualize these impressions from adjacent cardiovascular structures. *Incorrect: Option 1* - This pointer indicates the impression of the **aortic arch**, which is the first and most superior indentation seen on a lateral or oblique view of a barium swallow. - The aortic arch crosses the esophagus on its left side at approximately T4 level, creating a distinct notch as it arches posteriorly. *Incorrect: Option 2* - This pointer shows the impression made by the **left main bronchus** as it crosses anterior to the esophagus. - This indentation is located inferior to the aortic arch impression at approximately T5 level and is typically less pronounced than the aortic or left atrial impressions. [Practice more Radiology PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Ground-glass appearance on HRCT is seen in which of the following conditions?

Silicosis. ***Silicosis***- While simple silicosis shows small, **fibrotic nodules**, acute or accelerated silicosis (**silicoproteinosis**) often presents with diffuse alveolar filling and inflammation, which manifests radiologically as prominent **ground-glass opacities** on HRCT.- Ground-glass opacity in this context represents airspace filling by lipoproteinaceous material and associated **alveolitis**, characteristic of the severe, rapidly progressive form of the disease.*Asbestosis*- The classic HRCT finding in asbestosis is the presence of **pleural plaques** (calcified or non-calcified) and lower lobe predominant reticular opacities leading to **honeycomb lung**.- Ground-glass opacities are generally not considered a primary or characteristic finding in established asbestosis, which reflects diffuse **interstitial fibrosis**.*Anthracosis*- Anthracosis (simple Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis) is characterized by small, dense **coal macules** (centrilobular nodules) on HRCT, often concentrated in the upper lobes- Advanced forms lead to **Progressive Massive Fibrosis (PMF)**, which appears as large opacities, not primarily diffuse **ground-glass opacities**.*Bagassosis*- This is a form of **Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP)** caused by moldy sugarcane residue and typically shows centrilobular nodules and **mosaic attenuation** on HRCT.- Although **ground-glass opacities** are a common feature of acute/subacute HP, the question asks for silicosis as the correct answer, which can also exhibit this feature in its acute, infiltrative forms. [Practice more Radiology PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: A patient who was diagnosed with prostate cancer is being investigated. The bone scan is reported as a super scan with increased uptake in the bones and reduced activity in the spleen. What is the reason for this super scan appearance?

Increased uptake due to diffuse metastasis. ***Increased uptake due to diffuse metastasis***- The **super scan** appearance is pathognomonic for **widespread skeletal metastasis**, particularly common in advanced prostate cancer, where nearly all the tracer is utilized by diffuse bony lesions.- The reduced or absent visualization of soft tissues (like the **spleen**, **kidneys**, and **bladder**) results from the extremely high proportion of the radiotracer being extracted by the vast surface area of the metastatic bone lesions.*Increased uptake by carcinoma prostate*- Bone scans (using Tc-99m MDP) primarily reflect **osteoblastic activity** in bone, not the direct uptake by the primary non-osseous tumor tissue in the prostate.- While uptake might occasionally be seen in the primary tumor due to adjacent bony involvement or calcification, this is not the cause of the diffuse **super scan** pattern across the entire skeleton.*Increased uptake by the bone*- While the super scan is characterized by increased uptake in the bone, this statement fails to detail the underlying pathological *reason*, which is the widespread **diffuse skeletal metastasis**.- Normal physiological uptake by bone would not lead to the non-visualization of the **kidneys** and **spleen**, which is a crucial defining feature of the super scan.*Decreased uptake by adrenal glands and kidney*- The non-visualization (or decreased uptake) in soft tissue organs, including the **kidneys**, is a *consequence* of the super scan pattern, not the underlying cause of the appearance.- The primary mechanism is the massive tracer uptake in the skeleton due to **diffuse pathological activity**, leaving insufficient free tracer for normal soft tissue background and excretion. [Practice more Radiology PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: A 55-year-old male patient presents with hematuria and a mass in the left kidney on a CT scan, as shown below. What is the diagnosis?

Renal angiomyolipoma. ***Renal angiomyolipoma*** - This is a benign renal tumor composed of three tissue types: blood vessels (**angio**), smooth muscle (**myo**), and fat (**lipoma**). The presence of macroscopic fat on a CT scan is a key diagnostic feature. - Patients can be asymptomatic or present with **hematuria** or flank pain, particularly if the tumor is large. There is a strong association with **tuberous sclerosis**. *Renal cell carcinoma* - This is the most common malignant kidney tumor in adults, often presenting with **hematuria**, flank pain, and a palpable mass (the classic triad). - On imaging, it typically appears as a heterogeneously enhancing solid mass and crucially, **lacks macroscopic fat**, which helps differentiate it from an angiomyolipoma. *Renal oncocytoma* - This is a benign epithelial tumor that can be difficult to distinguish from renal cell carcinoma on imaging alone. - It may show a characteristic **central stellate scar** on contrast-enhanced CT, but it does not contain significant fat tissue. *Renal cyst* - A simple renal cyst appears on CT as a well-defined, thin-walled, non-enhancing lesion filled with fluid of **water density**. - The image and description indicate a solid, **neovascular mass**, which is inconsistent with the avascular nature of a simple cyst. [Practice more Radiology PYQs on OnCourse]

Q: Which of the following is the best imaging modality to diagnose neuroendocrine tumors (NETs)?

PET. ***PET***- **PET** imaging, particularly using tracers like **Gallium-68 DOTATATE** or **DOTATOC**, is the best modality because it targets the **somatostatin receptors (SSTr)** highly expressed on most well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).- This molecular imaging technique offers the highest **sensitivity and specificity** for identifying the primary tumor, effectively staging the disease, detecting occult metastases, and assessing therapeutic response.*USG*- **Ultrasound (USG)** is often limited to screening the abdominal organs (like the liver or pancreas) but lacks the anatomical comprehensiveness and sensitivity required for definitive staging of systemic NET disease.- Its performance is highly **operator-dependent**, and it is generally poor for evaluating deeply located tumors or detecting **pulmonary** or **osseous** involvement.*CT*- **CT scans** provide excellent anatomical information, are essential for tumor size measurement (using **RECIST criteria**), and are often used as the anatomical backbone to complement functional imaging like PET/CT.- However, CT relies on structural changes (size and density) and is significantly **less sensitive** than somatostatin receptor PET for finding small primary tumors or widespread, metabolically active metastases.*MRI*- **MRI** offers superior soft tissue contrast compared to CT, making it highly valuable, especially for evaluating complex areas like the **liver parenchyma** for metastatic disease or specific NETs (e.g., pancreatic NETs).- Like CT, MRI is a structural modality and fails to provide the **functional information** that PET offers regarding the presence and density of **somatostatin receptors**, limiting its use for overall tumor burden assessment and staging compared to PET. [Practice more Radiology PYQs on OnCourse]

Question 1

In the given barium swallow image, which of the following shows the left atrium impression on the esophagus?

Accepted Answer

3

Answer

None of them

Answer

1

Answer

2

Question 2

Ground-glass appearance on HRCT is seen in which of the following conditions?

Accepted Answer

Silicosis

Answer

Bagassosis

Answer

Anthracosis

Answer

Asbestosis

Question 3

A patient who was diagnosed with prostate cancer is being investigated. The bone scan is reported as a super scan with increased uptake in the bones and reduced activity in the spleen. What is the reason for this super scan appearance?

Accepted Answer

Increased uptake due to diffuse metastasis

Answer

Increased uptake by carcinoma prostate

Answer

Decreased uptake by adrenal glands and kidney

Answer

Increased uptake by the bone

Question 4

A 55-year-old male patient presents with hematuria and a mass in the left kidney on a CT scan, as shown below. What is the diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Renal angiomyolipoma

Answer

Renal cell carcinoma

Answer

Renal oncocytoma

Answer

Renal cyst

Question 5

Which of the following is the best imaging modality to diagnose neuroendocrine tumors (NETs)?

Accepted Answer

PET

Answer

MRI

Answer

CT

Answer

USG

Question 6

A 30-year-old woman presented with complaints of bone pain and abdominal cramps. Her family says she has a history of abnormal behavior. The consultant doctor arrived at a provisional diagnosis based on the clinical features. Which of the following would be the best investigation to arrive at a definitive diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

Sestamibi scan

Answer

MRI

Answer

Ultrasonogram

Answer

CT scan

Question 7

A cancer patient undergoing radiotherapy is given a dose of 1.8 to 2 Gy once daily for 5 days per week for a duration of 6 to 8 weeks. What is this type of radiotherapy called?

Accepted Answer

Regular Fractionated radiotherapy

Answer

Hyper fractionated radiotherapy

Answer

Brachytherapy

Answer

Accelerated fractionation radiotherapy

Question 8

Identify the rib highlighted in the X-ray.

Accepted Answer

3rd rib posterior part

Answer

4th rib anterior part

Answer

3rd rib anterior part

Answer

1st rib anterior part

Question 9

Whole-body CT scan protocol for a trauma patient includes all, except

Accepted Answer

c.CT Limbs

Answer

d.CT Abdomen

Answer

b.CT Cervical spine

Answer

a.CT Head

Question 10

Identify the part of the bowel in the barium study given below.

Accepted Answer

Jejunum

Answer

Transverse colon

Answer

Ileum

Answer

Splenic flexure

FMGE 2023 — Radiology