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Pathology Flashcards

6 cards from real USMLE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. A patient with cirrhosis develops ascites and portal hypertension. What type of hypertension is most commonly caused by cirrhosis?

    Answer: Sinusoidal (intrahepatic) portal hypertension

    Cirrhosis causes sinusoidal portal hypertension by increasing intrahepatic vascular resistance through fibrosis and regenerative nodule distortion of the sinusoidal architecture.

  2. Coagulative necrosis is characteristic of infarction in most organs EXCEPT which organ?

    Answer: Brain

    Brain infarction results in liquefactive necrosis due to the high water content and abundance of proteolytic enzymes; all other organs typically show coagulative necrosis after infarction.

  3. A young woman presents with a butterfly rash, arthritis, and proteinuria. ANA is positive. Which antibody is most specific for SLE?

    Answer: Anti-Smith

    Anti-Smith (anti-Sm) antibody is the most specific antibody for SLE, while anti-dsDNA is highly specific but also fluctuates with disease activity.

  4. Which mutation in p53 leads to a dominant negative effect, where the mutant protein inhibits normal p53 function?

    Answer: Missense mutation causing conformational change

    Missense mutations in p53 produce a full-length but structurally abnormal protein that can complex with normal p53 tetramers, dominant-negatively impairing tumor suppression.

  5. A 65-year-old man has a prostate biopsy showing Gleason grade 4+5=9. What does this score indicate?

    Answer: Poorly differentiated tumor with high metastatic potential

    A Gleason score of 9 (grade group 5) represents the most poorly differentiated prostate cancer with the highest metastatic potential and worst prognosis.

  6. Which finding on renal biopsy is pathognomonic for Goodpasture syndrome?

    Answer: Linear IgG deposits along the glomerular basement membrane

    Goodpasture syndrome shows linear IgG deposits along the GBM on immunofluorescence due to anti-GBM antibodies targeting type IV collagen (alpha-3 chain).