Inflammation morphology

Question 1

What overall features are used to describe the morphology of inflammation?

Answer 1

• Degree: mild, moderate, severe
• Duration: acute, subacute, chronic
• Distribution
• Type
• Organ found

Question 2

What duration would inflammation be if it lasted minutes to hours?

Answer 2

Peracute

Question 3

Inflammation is chronic when it lasts how long?

Answer 3

From 2 days, to weeks, to months, even years

Question 4

What is a focal distribution?

Answer 4

A single spot

Question 5

What is a disseminated distribution?

Answer 5

Many evenly distributed spots

Question 6

What is a locally extensive distribution?

Answer 6

A spread over a single are but not the whole tissue

Question 7

Give some examples of the different types of inflammation

Answer 7

• Serous
• Fibrinous
• Suppurative
• Necrotising

Question 8

What is the nomenclature for inflammation?

Answer 8

-itis (italics)

Question 9

What is a serous inflammation?

Answer 9

Outpouring of thin fluid (transudate) from blood serum, secretion of mesothelial cells
e.g. peritoneal effusion = severe acute diffuse catarrhal peritonitis

Question 10

What is fibrinous inflammation?

Answer 10

Exudation of serum and proteins -> clotted exudate

Found on mucosal and serosal surfaces, lungs, joints

Question 11

Pneumonia is an example of which inflammation type?

Answer 11

Fibrinous - increased soft tissue opacity caused by the presence of inflammatory material within the alveoli

Question 12

What is suppurative/purulent inflammation?

Answer 12

Inflammation dominated by neutrophils (pus)

Question 13

What is pus?

Answer 13

Necrotic tissue, neutrophils and fibrin transformed into a yellowish mass by neutrophil enzymes

Question 14

Define these specific purulent entities:

• Pustule
• Empyema
• Cellulitis

Answer 14

• Pus within the dermis/epidermis
• Pus within a pre-existing space
• Pus within a connective tissue

Question 15

What is haemorrhagic inflammation?

Answer 15

Red blood cells induced into primary serous, fibrinous or suppurative exudate due to severely damaged blood vessels

Question 16

Which type of inflammation often leads to ulcers?

Answer 16

Necrotising inflammation

Question 17

What is chronic recurring inflammation ?

Answer 17

Chronic inflammation with acute bouts

Question 18

What is an ulcer and where are they most commonly found?

Answer 18

Focal full-thickness defect in the epithelium/surface of an organ/tissue due to sloughing of inflammatory necrotic tissue
- oral cavity, stomach, intestines, skin

Question 19

When does granulomatous inflammation occur and which cell dominated it?

Answer 19

Occurs when the injurious agent cannot be phagocytosed and degraded easily
Dominated by macrophages

Question 20

What are the steps leading to monocytes dominating granulomatous inflammation?

Answer 20

1. antigen presentation via MHCII
2. activation of CD4+ t-cell by cytokines
3. recruitment and activation of monocytes
4. further recruitment of lymphocytes
5. further recruitment and activation of monocytes

Question 21

Give some examples of granulomatous inflammation

Answer 21

• Tuberculosis
• Johnes disease
• Fungal granuloma

Question 22

What is a granuloma?

Answer 22

A focal area of granulomatous inflammation, with an organised structure

Question 23

Which cells are granulocytes?

Answer 23

Neutrophils and eosinophils

Question 24

Which cells are on the periphery and centre of a granuloma?

Answer 24

Periphery = lymphocytes, plasma cells, fibroblasts
Centre = Macrophages, epithelioid macrophages

Question 25

What is a giant cell?

Answer 25

Multinucleated cells formed by epithelioid macrophages fusing together