Systemic Pathology — MCQs

A 35-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 3-month history of progressive fatigue, shortness of breath, and pain in her knees and ankles. Her temperature is 37.6°C (99.7°F). Physical examination shows mild hepatomegaly and tender, red nodules on her shins. There are purple, indurated lesions on her nose, nasolabial fold, and cheeks. A biopsy of the liver shows scattered aggregations of multinucleated giant cells with cytoplasmic inclusions and eosinophilic, needle-shaped structures arranged in a star-like pattern. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 61-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a constant, dull headache and generalized body pains for the past 8 months. She has also had difficulty hearing from her left side, which started a month after the onset of the headaches. Five months ago, she had surgery to correct a fracture of the right femur that occurred without a fall or any significant trauma. Five years ago, she underwent a total thyroidectomy for localized thyroid carcinoma. She takes levothyroxine and calcium supplements, which she started after menopause. Physical examination reveals a prominent forehead and irregular, tender skull surface. Bony tenderness is present over bilateral hip and knee joints, with decreased range of motion of the right hip joint and increased anterior curvature of both tibias. Laboratory studies show a highly elevated level of alkaline phosphatase, with vitamin D, calcium and PTH levels within normal limits. A plain x-ray of the head is most likely to show which of the following findings?

A 48-year-old man is being evaluated for an acquired defect of the myeloid stem cell line with a mutation in the PIG-A gene. His diagnosis was first suspected due to anemia and recurrent pink-tinged urine. Which of the markers will be negative in the flow cytometry test for his condition?

A 13-year-old girl is brought to the pediatrician due to a 4-month history of heavy vaginal bleeding during menstrual periods. She endorses episodes of bleeding gums after brushing her teeth and experienced prolonged bleeding after tonsillectomy 6 years ago. Her mother states that she bled significantly during childbirth and that the girl’s older brother has similar symptoms including easy bruising. Vitals were stable and physical exam was not revealing. Laboratory studies show: Platelet count: 72,000/mm^3 Bleeding time: 14 min Prothrombin time: 12 secs (INR = 1) Partial thromboplastin time: 40 secs Blood smear demonstrates increased megakaryocytes and enlarged platelets. Platelets do not aggregate to ristocetin. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 43-year-old man comes to the physician for a 1-week history of swelling around his eyes and decreased urination. His pulse is 87/min, and blood pressure is 152/95 mm Hg. Physical examination shows 1+ periorbital and pretibial edema. Serum studies show a urea nitrogen concentration of 21 mg/dL and a creatinine concentration of 1.4 mg/dL. Urinalysis shows 3+ blood and 1+ protein. Further evaluation of this patient is most likely to show which of the following?

A 43-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 6-week history of hoarseness and difficulty swallowing. She also has a history of lower back pain treated with ibuprofen. She is 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) tall and weighs 77 kg (169 lb); BMI is 29 kg/m2. Her pulse is 64/min and blood pressure is 130/86 mm Hg. Physical examination shows dry skin, swelling of the lower extremities, and a hard nontender anterior neck swelling that does not move with swallowing. Femoral and pedal pulses are decreased bilaterally. A biopsy of the neck swelling is most likely to show which of the following findings?

A 33-year-old Caucasian female presents to her primary care provider for skin problems and difficulty breathing. She has not sought medical care in over 10 years due to anxiety around physicians. However, she has experienced gradual onset of diffuse pruritus, skin induration, and limited finger mobility over the past 5 years that has negatively impacted her work as an accountant. More recently, she has developed exertional shortness of breath and is concerned that it may impact her ability to care for her 3-year-old son. She reports no prior medical conditions and takes fish oil. She smokes 1 pack of cigarettes per day and drinks socially. Her temperature is 98.6°F (37°C), blood pressure is 145/85 mmHg, pulse is 85/min, and respirations are 22/min. On exam, she appears anxious with minimally increased work of breathing. Dry rales are heard at her lung bases bilaterally. Her fingers appear shiny and do not have wrinkles on the skin folds. A normal S1 and S2 are heard on cardiac auscultation. This patient’s lung disease is caused by increased secretion of which of the following substances within the lungs?

A 38-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department after she experienced dizziness and shortness of breath while walking with her friend. She recently immigrated to the United States and is unable to report her previous medical history. Physical exam reveals pallor underneath her eyelids. Labs are obtained with the following results: Hemoglobin: 8.4 g/dL Platelet count: 62,000/mm^3 Mean corpuscular volume: 89 µm^3 Reticulocyte count: 0.1% Lactate dehydrogenase: 175 U/L Which of the following is associated with the most likely cause of this patient's symptoms?

A 32-year-old woman presents with a 3-month history of intermittent blurred vision and problems walking. The patient states that she often feels “pins and needles” in her legs that cause her problems when she’s walking. The patient is afebrile, and her vital signs are within normal limits. An autoimmune disorder is suspected. Which of the following findings would most likely be present in this patient?

A 7-year-old boy is brought to the emergency department by his parents. He is complaining of left-sided knee pain which has progressively increased in severity over the past 2 days. It started when he was playing football with his brothers but he does not recall falling or getting any injury. Past medical history is significant for prolonged bleeding and easy bruising. His maternal uncle has similar problems. Physical exam reveals swollen and painful left knee. His laboratory investigations reveal: Hemoglobin 11.8 g/dL WBC count 7,000/mL Platelets 250,000/mL INR 0.9 aPTT 62 sec, fully corrected with a mixing study Which of the following disorders have the same mode of inheritance as this patient’s disease?