ABPath Pathology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which stain is most commonly used to demonstrate acid-fast bacilli such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tissue sections?
- Ziehl-Neelsen (Correct answer)
- Periodic acid-Schiff
- Congo red
- Prussian blue
Correct answer: Ziehl-Neelsen
Ziehl-Neelsen stain highlights the mycolic-acid-rich cell walls of acid-fast organisms.
Question 2: Reed-Sternberg cells are the diagnostic hallmark of which malignancy?
- Hodgkin lymphoma (Correct answer)
- Burkitt lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Correct answer: Hodgkin lymphoma
Binucleate 'owl-eye' Reed-Sternberg cells define Hodgkin lymphoma.
Question 3: Psammoma bodies (laminated calcifications) are characteristically seen in all of the following EXCEPT?
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (Correct answer)
- Papillary thyroid carcinoma
- Serous ovarian carcinoma
- Meningioma
Correct answer: Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma does not typically contain psammoma bodies, unlike the other three tumors.
Question 4: A biopsy showing non-caseating granulomas in the lung and hilar lymph nodes without organisms most suggests?
- Sarcoidosis (Correct answer)
- Tuberculosis
- Aspergillosis
- Squamous cell carcinoma
Correct answer: Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis classically produces non-caseating granulomas with negative stains for organisms.
Question 5: Which immunohistochemical marker is most useful for confirming a prostatic origin of an adenocarcinoma?
- PSA (prostate-specific antigen) (Correct answer)
- CD20
- TTF-1
- GFAP
Correct answer: PSA (prostate-specific antigen)
PSA and PSAP are highly specific markers for prostatic epithelial cells.
Question 6: Councilman (apoptotic) bodies are a histologic finding classically associated with?
- Viral hepatitis (Correct answer)
- Acute pancreatitis
- Glomerulonephritis
- Osteomyelitis
Correct answer: Viral hepatitis
Councilman bodies are apoptotic hepatocytes seen in viral hepatitis and yellow fever.
Question 7: Which type of necrosis is most characteristic of an ischemic infarct in the brain?
- Liquefactive necrosis (Correct answer)
- Coagulative necrosis
- Caseous necrosis
- Fat necrosis
Correct answer: Liquefactive necrosis
The brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis due to its high lipid content and lack of supportive stroma.
ABPath Pathology 2
Which stain is most commonly used to demonstrate acid-fast bacilli such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tissue sections?