Surface anatomy Practice Questions

Question 1

A research team develops a new monoclonal antibody checkpoint inhibitor for advanced melanoma that has shown promise in animal studies as well as high efficacy and low toxicity in early phase human clinical trials. The research team would now like to compare this drug to existing standard of care immunotherapy for advanced melanoma. The research team decides to conduct a non-randomized study where the novel drug will be offered to patients who are deemed to be at risk for toxicity with the current standard of care immunotherapy, while patients without such risk factors will receive the standard treatment. Which of the following best describes the level of evidence that this study can offer?

Accepted Answer

Level 3

Answer

Level 1

Answer

Level 5

Answer

Level 4

Answer

Level 2

Question 2

A 42-year-old woman presents to the physician with symptoms of vague abdominal pain and bloating for several months. Test results indicate that she has ovarian cancer. Her physician attempts to reach her by phone multiple times but cannot reach her. Next of kin numbers are in her chart. According to HIPAA regulations, who should be the primary person the doctor discusses this information with?

Accepted Answer

The patient

Answer

The patient's brother

Answer

The patient's husband

Answer

The patient's daughter

Answer

All of the options

Question 3

A 41-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department with the acute-onset of severe abdominal pain for the past 2 hours. She has a history of frequent episodes of vague abdominal pain, but they have never been this severe. Every time she has had pain, it would resolve after eating a meal. Her past medical history is otherwise insignificant. Her vital signs include: blood pressure 121/77 mm Hg, pulse 91/min, respiratory rate 21/min, and temperature 37°C (98.6°F). On examination, her abdomen is flat and rigid. Which of the following is the next best step in evaluating this patient’s discomfort and stomach pain by physical exam?

Accepted Answer

Auscultate the abdomen

Answer

Elicit shifting dullness of the abdomen

Answer

Perform light palpation at the point of maximal pain

Answer

Attempt to perform a deep, slow palpation with quick release

Answer

Percuss the point of maximal pain

Question 4

A 52-year-old man with stage IV melanoma comes to the physician with his wife for a routine follow-up examination. He was recently diagnosed with new bone and brain metastases despite receiving aggressive chemotherapy but has not disclosed this to his wife. He has given verbal consent to discuss his prognosis with his wife and asks the doctor to inform her of his condition because he does not wish to do so himself. She is tearful and has many questions about his condition. Which of the following would be the most appropriate statement by the physician to begin the interview with the patient's wife?

Accepted Answer

What is your understanding of your husband's current condition?

Answer

Have you discussed a living will or goals of care together?

Answer

We should talk about how we can manage his symptoms with additional chemotherapy.

Answer

Why do you think your husband has not discussed his medical condition with you?

Answer

Your husband has end-stage cancer, and his prognosis is poor.

Question 5

A 78-year-old man is brought in to the emergency department by ambulance after his wife noticed that he began slurring his speech and had developed facial asymmetry during dinner approximately 30 minutes ago. His past medical history is remarkable for hypertension and diabetes. His temperature is 99.1°F (37.3°C), blood pressure is 154/99 mmHg, pulse is 89/min, respirations are 12/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. Neurologic exam reveals right upper and lower extremity weakness and an asymmetric smile. Which of the following is the next best step in management?

Accepted Answer

CT head

Answer

Alteplase

Answer

MRI brain

Answer

Aspirin

Answer

CTA head

Question 6

A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department for sudden weakness. He was doing mechanical work on his car where he acutely developed right-leg weakness and fell to the ground. He is accompanied by his wife, who said that this has never happened before. He was last seen neurologically normal approximately 2 hours prior to presentation. His past medical history is significant for hypertension and type II diabetes. His temperature is 98.8°F (37.1°C), blood pressure is 177/108 mmHg, pulse is 90/min, respirations are 15/min, and oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. Neurological exam reveals that he is having trouble speaking and has profound weakness of his right upper and lower extremity. Which of the following is the best next step in management?

Accepted Answer

Noncontrast head CT

Answer

Thrombolytics

Answer

CT angiogram

Answer

MRI of the head

Answer

Aspirin

Question 7

A 57-year-old man presents to the emergency department for weight loss and abdominal pain. The patient states that he has felt steadily more fatigued over the past month and has lost 22 pounds without effort. Today, he fainted prompting his presentation. The patient has no significant past medical history. He does have a 33 pack-year smoking history and drinks 4 to 5 alcoholic drinks per day. His temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), blood pressure is 100/58 mmHg, pulse is 100/min, respirations are 17/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. On physical exam, you see a patient who is very thin and appears to be pale. Stool fecal occult blood testing is positive. A CT scan of the abdomen is performed demonstrating a mass in the colon with multiple metastatic lesions scattered throughout the abdomen. The patient is informed of his diagnosis of metastatic colon cancer. When the patient conveys the information to his family he focuses his efforts on discussing the current literature in the field and the novel therapies that have been invented. He demonstrates his likely mortality outcome which he calculated using the results of a large multi-center study. Which of the following is this patient most likely demonstrating?

Accepted Answer

Intellectualization

Answer

Dissociation

Answer

Rationalization

Answer

Optimism

Answer

Pessimism

Question 8

An 82-year-old right-handed woman is brought in by ambulance after being found down in her home. On presentation, she is found to be awake but does not follow directions or respond to questions. She is able to speak and produces a fluent string of nonsensical words and sounds. She does not appear to be bothered by her deficits. Subsequent neurologic exam finds that the patient is unable to comprehend any instructions and is also unable to repeat phrases. CT scan reveals an acute stroke to her left hemisphere. Damage to which of the following structures would be most likely to result in this pattern of deficits?

Accepted Answer

Superior temporal gyrus

Answer

Precentral gyrus

Answer

Arcuate fasciculus

Answer

Inferior frontal gyrus

Answer

Watershed zone

Question 9

A 74-year-old male is brought to the emergency department 1 hour after he fell from the top of the staircase at home. He reports pain in his neck as well as weakness of his upper extremities. He is alert and immobilized in a cervical collar. He has hypertension treated with hydrochlorothiazide. His pulse is 90/min and regular, respirations are 18/min, and blood pressure is 140/70 mmHg. Examination shows bruising and midline cervical tenderness. Neurologic examination shows diminished strength and sensation to pain and temperature in the upper extremities, particularly in the hands. Upper extremity deep tendon reflexes are absent. Strength, sensation, and reflexes in the lower extremities are intact. Anal sensation and tone are present. Babinski's sign is absent bilaterally. Which of the following is most likely to confirm the cause of this patient's neurologic examination findings?

Accepted Answer

MRI of the cervical spine without contrast

Answer

CT angiography of the neck

Answer

X-ray of the cervical spine

Answer

CT of the cervical spine with contrast

Answer

Cervical myelography

Question 10

A 72-year-old male presents to a cardiac surgeon for evaluation of severe aortic stenosis. He has experienced worsening dyspnea with exertion over the past year. The patient also has a history of poorly controlled hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. An echocardiogram revealed a thickened calcified aortic valve. The surgeon is worried that the patient will be a poor candidate for open heart surgery and decides to perform a less invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement. In order to perform this procedure, the surgeon must first identify the femoral pulse just inferior to the inguinal ligament and insert a catheter into the vessel in order to gain access to the arterial system. Which of the following structures is immediately lateral to this structure?

Accepted Answer

Femoral nerve

Answer

Lymphatic vessels

Answer

Femoral vein

Answer

Sartorius muscle

Answer

Pectineus muscle

Surface anatomy

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