BCSE Anatomic and Clinical Pathology 2

Question 1

A 55-year-old woman has a breast biopsy showing cells with large nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and loss of normal glandular architecture invading the stroma. What is the most appropriate classification?

Accepted Answer

Invasive ductal carcinoma

Answer

Invasive ductal carcinoma is characterized by malignant epithelial cells with stromal invasion, large nuclei, and prominent nucleoli.

Question 2

On a peripheral blood smear, you observe red blood cells shaped like a football or rugby ball with two pointed ends. What is the term for this morphology?

Accepted Answer

Elliptocyte

Answer

Elliptocytes (also called ovalocytes) are elongated red blood cells with two pointed ends seen in hereditary elliptocytosis.

Question 3

A liver biopsy from a patient with chronic alcoholism shows hepatocytes containing eosinophilic, irregular cytoplasmic inclusions. What is this material?

Accepted Answer

Mallory-Denk bodies

Answer

Mallory-Denk bodies are aggregates of intermediate filaments (cytokeratin) found in hepatocytes in alcoholic liver disease.

Question 4

A 70-year-old male has a serum PSA of 18 ng/mL. Prostate biopsy reveals glands lined by a single layer of cells with no basal cell layer. Gleason grading is used. What does a combined Gleason score of 7 (3+4) indicate?

Accepted Answer

Intermediate-grade carcinoma with predominantly well-formed glands

Answer

Gleason 3+4=7 indicates intermediate grade with the dominant pattern being grade 3 (well-formed glands) and secondary pattern grade 4 (poorly formed glands).

Question 5

Which laboratory finding is most characteristic of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)?

Accepted Answer

Elevated D-dimer, prolonged PT and PTT, low fibrinogen, low platelets

Answer

DIC is characterized by widespread clotting consuming clotting factors and platelets, leading to elevated D-dimer, prolonged PT/PTT, low fibrinogen, and thrombocytopenia.

BCSE - Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination Practice Test

BCSE - Basic and Clinical Sciences Examination Practice Test

BCSE Anatomic and Clinical Pathology 2