Endocrine Pathology

Question 1

In general, how are endocrine/neuroendocrine cells described?

Answer 1

• Nested
• Salt-and-pepper nuclei
• Monomorphic

Question 2

The thyroid follicular cells are _________________.

Answer 2

cuboidal, low columnar

Question 3

On histologic exam, the thyroid of someone with Grave’s disease will appear ______________.

Answer 3

more cellular and with colloid scalloping

Question 4

Why do germinal centers form in the thyroids of those with Hashimoto’s?

Answer 4

Because it is a lymphocytic infiltrate that causes the thyroiditis!

Question 5

How will oncocytic metaplasia appear?

Answer 5

As a pinkening of the cytoplasm

Question 6

DeQuervain’s will present with what unique cell type?

Answer 6

Giant, multinucleated cells (granulomas)

Question 7

The colloids can expand in those with _______________.

Answer 7

hypothyroidism

Question 8

True or false: follicular adenoma can transition to follicular carcinoma.

Answer 8

False.

Question 9

Follicular carcinoma is distinguished by ______________.

Answer 9

invasion through the capsule

Question 10

Papillary thyroid carcinoma is characterized by __________ features, not the papillary architecture, strangely.

Answer 10

nuclear

Question 11

The papillae have ___________ cores.

Answer 11

fibrovascular

Question 12

Which thyroid carcinoma has the worst prognosis?

Answer 12

Anaplastic –only three months

Question 13

Recall that ______________ appears as monomorphic cells in nests of amyloid.

Answer 13

medullary thyroid carcinoma

Question 14

The parathyroids are 25% ______________.

Answer 14

adipose tissue

Question 15

Parathyroid adenomas will present with decreased _____________ and increased _____________.

Answer 15

adiposity; cellularity

Question 16

Brown tumors will have the same histologic presentation as ____________.

Answer 16

giant cell tumors

Question 17

How does small cell carcinoma of the lung appear?

Answer 17

Densely packed, blue nuclei with high N:C ratio

Question 18

How do adrenal adenomas and carcinomas differ?

Answer 18

Carcinomas are more often bigger, necrotic, and invasive

Question 19

Treating adrenal adenoma with spironolactone can lead to what on pathologic exam?

Answer 19

Spironolactone bodies – areas of endoplasmic reticulum swirled into little bodies

Question 20

What causes Waterhouse-Friederichsen syndrome?

Answer 20

Bilateral adrenal hemorrhage from N. meningitidis

Question 21

Which MEN syndrome has Marfanoid body?

Answer 21

MEN2B (Body haBitus = 2B)

Question 22

Thyroid medullary cells are also called ___________.

Answer 22

C-cells

Question 23

Recall that in DiGeorge both the thymus and the __________ fail to develop. Why?

Answer 23

parathyroid; because both develop from the same pharyngeal pouches (3 and 4)

Question 24

What are the (supposedly outdated) rules of 10%?

Answer 24

In pheochromocytoma

• 10% are bilateral
• 10% are extra-adrenal
• 10% are not associated with hypertension
• 10% are malignant

Question 25

The only definitive sign that pheochromocytoma is malignant is _______________.

Answer 25

metastasis