Classic Labs/Findings Flashcards
Decreased AFP in amniotic fluid/maternal serum
Down syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities
Large granules in phagocytes, immunodeficiency
Chédiak-Higashi disease (congenital failure of
phagolysosome formation)
Recurrent infections, eczema, thrombocytopenia
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
Branching gram ⊕ rods with sulfur granules
Actinomyces israelii
Optochin sensitivity
Sensitive: S pneumoniae; resistant: viridans streptococci
S mutans, S sanguis
Novobiocin response
Sensitive: S epidermidis; resistant: S saprophyticus
Bacitracin response
Sensitive: S pyogenes (group A); resistant: S agalactiae
group B
Streptococcus bovis bacteremia
Colon cancer
Hilar lymphadenopathy, peripheral granulomatous lesion in middle or lower lung lobes (can calcify)
Ghon complex (1° TB: Mycobacterium bacilli)
Bacteria-covered vaginal epithelial cells
“Clue cells” (Gardnerella vaginalis)
Ring-enhancing brain lesion on CT/MRI in AIDS
Toxoplasma gondii, CNS lymphoma
Cardiomegaly with apical atrophy
Chagas disease (Trypanosoma cruzi)
Heterophile antibodies
Infectious mononucleosis (EBV)
Intranuclear eosinophilic droplet-like bodies
Cowdry type A bodies (HSV or VZV)
Eosinophilic globule in liver
Councilman body (viral hepatitis, yellow fever), represents hepatocyte undergoing apoptosis
“Steeple” sign on frontal CXR
Croup (parainfluenza virus)
Eosinophilic inclusion bodies in cytoplasm of
hippocampal and cerebellar neurons
Negri bodies of rabies
Atypical lymphocytes
EBV
Enlarged cells with intranuclear inclusion bodies
“Owl eye” appearance of CMV
“Thumb sign” on lateral neck x-ray
Epiglottitis (Haemophilus influenzae)
“Delta wave” on ECG, short PR interval, supraventricular
tachycardia
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (Bundle of Kent
bypasses AV node)
“Boot-shaped” heart on x-ray
Tetralogy of Fallot (due to RVH)
Rib notching (inferior surface, on x-ray)
Coarctation of the aorta
Heart nodules (granulomatous)
Aschoff bodies (rheumatic fever)
Electrical alternans (alternating amplitude on ECG)
Pericardial tamponade
Hypertension, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis
1° hyperaldosteronism (Conn syndrome)
Enlarged thyroid cells with ground-glass nuclei with
central clearing
“Orphan Annie” eyes nuclei (papillary carcinoma of the
thyroid)
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs)
Microscopic polyangiitis and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (MPO-ANCA/p-ANCA);
granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener; PR3- ANCA/c-ANCA); primary sclerosing cholangitis (MPOANCA/p-ANCA)
Mucin-filled cell with peripheral nucleus
“Signet ring” (gastric carcinoma)
Anti-transglutaminase/anti-gliadin/anti-endomysial
antibodies
Celiac disease (diarrhea, weight loss)
Narrowing of bowel lumen on barium x-ray
“String sign” (Crohn disease)
“Lead pipe” appearance of colon on abdominal imaging
Ulcerative colitis (loss of haustra)
Thousands of polyps on colonoscopy
Familial adenomatous polyposis (autosomal dominant,
mutation of APC gene)
“Apple core” lesion on barium enema x-ray
Colorectal cancer (usually left-sided)
Eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion in liver cell
Mallory body (alcoholic liver disease)
Triglyceride accumulation in liver cell vacuoles
Fatty liver disease (alcoholic or metabolic syndrome)
“Nutmeg” appearance of liver
Chronic passive congestion of liver due to right heart
failure or Budd-Chiari syndrome
Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs)
1° biliary cirrhosis (female, cholestasis, portal
hypertension)
Low serum ceruloplasmin
Wilson disease (hepatolenticular degeneration; Kayser- Fleischer rings due to copper accumulation)
Migratory thrombophlebitis (leading to migrating DVTs and vasculitis)
Trousseau syndrome (adenocarcinoma of pancreas or lung)
Basophilic nuclear remnants in RBCs
Howell-Jolly bodies (due to splenectomy or nonfunctional spleen)
Hypochromic, microcytic anemia
Iron deficiency anemia, lead poisoning, thalassemia (fetal hemoglobin sometimes present)
Basophilic stippling of RBCs
Lead poisoning or sideroblastic anemia