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Question 1
Correct
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Which of the following malignancies is likely to have the best prognosis?
Your Answer: Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid
Explanation:Papillary carcinoma accounts for 70-80% of all thyroid cancers and is seen commonly in people aged 30-60 years. It is more aggressive in elderly patients. 10-20% cases may have recurrence or persistent disease. More common in females with a female to male ratio of 3:1. Papillary carcinomas can also contain follicular carcinomas. The common route of spread is through lymphatics to regional nodes in one-third cases and pulmonary metastasis can also occur. Papillary carcinomas of the thyroid have the best prognosis, especially in patients less than 45 years of age with small tumours confined to the thyroid gland.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 2
Incorrect
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A 12-year old girl was brought to the hospital with recurrent headaches for 6 months. Her physical examination revealed no abnormality. A CT scan of the head revealed a suprasellar mass with calcifications, eroding the surrounding sella turcica. The lesion is likely to represent:
Your Answer: ACTH-secreting pituitary adenoma
Correct Answer: Craniopharyngioma
Explanation:Craniopharyngiomas (also known as Rathke pouch tumours, adamantinomas or hypophyseal duct tumours) affect children mainly between the age of 5 and 10 years. It constitutes 9% of brain tumours affecting the paediatric population. These are slow-growing tumours which can also be cystic, and arise from the pituitary stalk, specifically the nests of epithelium derived from Rathke’s pouch. Histologically, this tumour shows nests of squamous epithelium which is lined on the outside by radially arranged cells. Calcium deposition is often seen with a papillary type of architecture.
ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas are rare and mostly microadenomas. Paediatric astrocytoma’s usually occur in the posterior fossa. Although null cell adenomas can cause mass effect and give rise to the described symptoms, they are not suprasellar. Prolactinomas can also show symptoms of headache and disturbances in the visual field, however they are known to be small and slow-growing.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 3
Correct
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Which is a feature of the action of insulin?
Your Answer: Promotes protein synthesis
Explanation:Insulin is produced by the beta-cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Its actions include:
– promoting uptake of glucose into cells
– glycogen synthesis (glycogenesis)
– protein synthesis
– stimulation of lipogenesis (fat formation).
– driving potassium into cells – used to treat hyperkaelamia.
Parathyroid hormone and activated vitamin D are the principal hormones involved in calcium/phosphate metabolism, rather than insulin.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Physiology
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Question 4
Incorrect
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After total thyroidectomy, which of the following investigations is recommended in the immediate post-operative period?
Your Answer: Antithyroglobulin antibody
Correct Answer: Serum calcium
Explanation:Total thyroidectomy might sometimes result in inadvertent excision or damage of parathyroid glands, leading to hypoparathyroidism. Monitoring serum calcium levels in the post-operative period to detect hypocalcaemia is essential to diagnose and prevent this condition.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 5
Correct
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A 50-year-old gentleman was recently diagnosed with hypertension, with no other abnormalities on physical examination. Further investigations revealed the following :
Na+ 144 mmol/l
K+ 3.0 mmol/l
Cl- 107 mmol/l
Bicarbonate 25 mmol/l.
Blood glucose 5.8 mmol/l.
What is the likely diagnosis?Your Answer: Conn syndrome
Explanation:Overproduction of aldosterone (a mineralocorticoid) by the adrenal glands is known as Conn’s syndrome. It can be either due to an aldosterone-secreting adrenal adenoma (50-60% cases) or adrenal gland hyperplasia (40-50% cases). Excess aldosterone leads to sodium and water retention, along with potassium excretion. This leads to arterial (non-essential) hypertension. Conn’s syndrome is the commonest cause of primary hyperaldosteronism. Other symptoms include muscle cramps, headache (due to hypokalaemia) and metabolic alkalosis, which occurs due to increased secretion of H+ ions by the kidney. The raised pH of the blood traps calcium leading to symptoms of hypocalcaemia, which can be mimicked by liquorice ingestion and Liddle syndrome. To diagnose Conn’s syndrome, the ratio of renin and aldosterone is measured. Due to suppression of renin secretion, there is low renin to aldosterone ratio (<0.05). However, anti-hypertensives may affect the test results and should be withdrawn for 6 weeks. Computed tomography can also be done to detect the presence of adrenal adenoma. Cushing’s syndrome does not cause hypokalaemia with normal serum glucose levels. Nelson’s syndrome refers to increased ACTH secretion due to pituitary adenoma. Pheochromocytoma will not lead to hypokalaemia even though hypertension can be seen.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 6
Incorrect
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Hormones of the anterior pituitary include which of the following?
Your Answer: Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)
Correct Answer: Prolactin
Explanation:The anterior pituitary gland (adenohypophysis or pars distalis) synthesizes and secretes:
1. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
2. LH (luteinizing hormone)
3. Growth hormone
4. Prolactin
5. ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone)
6. TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone).
The posterior pituitary gland (neurohypophysis) stores and secretes 2 hormones produced by the hypothalamus:
1. ADH (antidiuretic hormone or vasopressin)
2. Oxytocin
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Physiology
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Question 7
Incorrect
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Cancer of the testis most likely metastases to which set of lymph nodes?
Your Answer: Internal iliac
Correct Answer: Aortic
Explanation:The lymphatic drainage of an organ is related to its blood supply. The lymphatic drainage of the testis drains along the testicular artery to reach the lymph nodes along the aorta.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 8
Correct
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Gastric acid secretion is stimulated by which of the following?
Your Answer: Gastrin
Explanation:Gastric acid secretion is stimulated by three factors:
– Acetylcholine, from parasympathetic neurones of the vagus nerve that innervate parietal cells directly
– Gastrin, produced by pyloric G-cells
– Histamine, produced by mast cells.
Gastric acid is inhibited by three factors:
– Somatostatin
– Secretin
– Cholecystokinin
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Physiology
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Question 9
Correct
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A 27-year old lady presented with dull, abdominal pain and some pain in her lower limbs. On enquiry, it was revealed that she has been suffering from depression for a few months. Physical examination and chest X-ray were normal. Further investigations revealed serum calcium 3.5 mmol/l, albumin 3.8 g/dl and phosphate 0.65 mmol/l. What is the diagnosis?
Your Answer: Parathyroid adenoma
Explanation:Hypercalcaemia with hypophosphatemia indicates parathyroid disorder and adenomas are more common than hyperplasia. In this young age group, metastatic disease is unlikely. Solitary adenomas are responsible for 80-85% cases of primary hyperparathyroidism. 10-15% cases are due to parathyroid hyperplasia and carcinomas account for 2-3% cases. Symptoms include bone pain (bones), nephrolithiasis (stones), muscular aches, peptic ulcer disease, pancreatitis (groans), depression (moans), anxiety and other mental disturbances.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Pathology
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Question 10
Correct
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The neurotransmitters adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine are derived from which amino acid?
Your Answer: Tyrosine
Explanation:Tyrosine is the precursor to adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine. Tyrosine hydroxylase converts tyrosine to DOPA, which is in turn converted to dopamine, then to noradrenaline and finally adrenaline.
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This question is part of the following fields:
- Endocrine
- Physiology
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