student questions | Pathology Student

BOOP

Q. I wonder if you could help me a bit with an unusual case of pneumonia. Our patient is a 56-year-old male with who woke up one morning with dyspnea, fever and chest pain. (more…)

Are allergies part of the innate immune system?

Q. I have a question about this exam question:

Which of the following is an example of innate immunity? (more…)

Is metaplasia pathologic?

Here’s a good question someone asked about metaplasia.

Q. I have a question about metaplasia. It seems that the other types of altered cell activity are classified as either physiologic or pathologic. (more…)

Why don’t you get sensitized with a PPD?

Q. I had a question about PPD (Mantoux test). I read your hypersensitivity posts explaining the different types and examples of hypersensitivity. (more…)

Q. I’m now studying for USMLE and have something which is really confusing, I’m hoping you might be able to help! I see the term “Owl’s eye” thrown around for both Reed Sternberg cells of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma as well as for CMV. (more…)

Why is there hyperpigmentation in Addison disease?

Q. How come patients with Addison disease have hyperpigmented skin? (more…)

How do you identify mitoses?

Q. How do you identify mitoses in histology slides?

A. Great question. This is something pathologists have to do a lot and nobody really talks about what specifically makes a mitotic figure.

(more…)

How to tell apart aplastic anemia and pancytopenia

Q. How do you tell apart aplastic anemia and pancytopenia?

A. This is an interesting question, because we’re comparing a distinct disease (aplastic anemia) with a generalized blood finding (pancytopenia).

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A quick summary of the 6 types of necrosis

Q. I can’t seem to get the different types of necrosis straight (liquefactive, fibrinoid, etc.). Any help? (more…)

Does “differentiated” mean it looks different?

Q. A question: why do you call a tumor “well-differentiated” when actually it is the LEAST different from the tissue of origin? Shouldn’t it be “low differentiated?” (more…)