Rapid Review - Classic Labs / Findings (4) + Key Associations (5)

Question 1

“Soap bubble” in femur or tibia on x-ray

Answer 1

Giant cell tumor of bone (generally benign)

Question 2

“Spikes” on basement membrane, “dome-like” subepithelial deposits

Answer 2

Membranous glomerulonephritis (may progress to nephrotic
syndrome)

Question 3

Stacks of RBCs

Answer 3

Rouleaux formation (high ESR, multiple myeloma)

Question 4

Stippled vaginal epithelial cells

Answer 4

“Clue cells” (Gardnerella vaginalis)

Question 5

“Tennis racket”-shaped cytoplasmic organelles (EM) in Langerhans cells

Answer 5

Birbeck granules (Langerhans cell histiocytosis or histiocytosis X: eosinophilic granuloma)

Question 6

Thrombi made of white/red layers

Answer 6

Lines of Zahn (arterial thrombus, layers of platelets/RBCs)

Question 7

“Thumb sign” on lateral x-ray

Answer 7

Epiglottitis (Haemophilus influenzae)

Question 8

Thyroid-like appearance of kidney

Answer 8

Chronic bacterial pyelonephritis

Question 9

“Tram-track” appearance of capillary loops of glomerular basement membranes on light microscopy

Answer 9

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis

Question 10

Triglyceride accumulation in liver cell vacuoles

Answer 10

Fatty liver disease (alcoholic or metabolic syndrome)

Question 11

“Waxy” casts with very low urine flow

Answer 11

Chronic end-stage renal disease

Question 12

WBC casts in urine

Answer 12

Acute pyelonephritis

Question 13

WBCs that look “smudged”

Answer 13

CLL (almost always B cell)

Question 14

“Wire loop” glomerular capillary appearance on light microscopy

Answer 14

Lupus nephropathy

Question 15

Yellowish CSF

Answer 15

Xanthochromia (e.g., due to subarachnoid hemorrhage)

Question 16

t(8;14)

Answer 16

Burkitt lymphoma (c-myc activation)

Question 17

t(9;22)

Answer 17

Philadelphia chromosome, CML (bcr-abl fusion)

Question 18

Temporal arteritis

Answer 18

Risk of ipsilateral blindness due to thrombosis of ophthalmic artery; polymyalgia rheumatica

Question 19

Testicular tumor

Answer 19

Seminoma (malignant, radiosensitive)

Question 20

Thyroid cancer

Answer 20

Papillary carcinoma

Question 21

Tumor in women

Answer 21

Leiomyoma (estrogen dependent, not precancerous)

Question 22

Tumor of infancy

Answer 22

Hemangioma (usually regresses spontaneously by childhood)

Question 23

Tumor of the adrenal medulla (adults)

Answer 23

Pheochromocytoma (usually benign)

Question 24

Tumor of the adrenal medulla (kids)

Answer 24

Neuroblastoma (malignant)

Question 25

Type of Hodgkin

Answer 25

Nodular sclerosis (vs. mixed cellularity, lymphocytic predominance, lymphocytic depletion)

Question 26

Type of non-Hodgkin

Answer 26

Diffuse large cell

Question 27

UTI

Answer 27

E. coli, Staphylococcus saprophyticus (young women)

Question 28

Viral encephalitis affecting temporal lobe

Answer 28

HSV-1

Question 29

Vitamin deficiency (U.S.)

Answer 29

Folate (pregnant women are at high risk; body stores only 3- to Folate (pregnant women are at high risk; body stores only 3- to
4-month supply; prevents neural tube defects)