Red Flag Findings

Question 1

Pt presents with persistent night pain, constant pain, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and unwarranted fatigue. What pathology may the pt have?

Answer 1

Cancer

Question 2

Pt present with SOB, dizziness, heaviness in chest. What system may be compromised?

Answer 2

Cardiovascular System

Question 3

Tasha has frequent abdominal pain accompanied by heartburn and indigestion. She finds herself going to the restroom often. What system might be compromised?

Answer 3

Gastrointestinal/genitourinary

Question 4

Ayesha presents with unusual menstrual changes and frequent vomiting. What system may be compromised?

Answer 4

Gastrointestinal/genitourinary

Question 5

Swelling or redness of any joint without a history of injury could indicate all of the following except:
a. OA
B. Infection
c. Gout
d. ACL tear

Answer 5

D. ACL tear

Question 6

The following are all red flags except:

a. Fever or night sweats
b. Recent severe emotion disturbances
c. Swelling without prior injury
d. pregnancy
e. all of the above are red flags

Answer 6

e. All of the above

Question 7

Whitney comes into the clinic d/t a recent bout of dizziness. She is unable to articulate her words fully and can’t see straight. What system may be compromised?

Answer 7

Neurological System

Question 8

Gina complains of recent fainting, HAs without any prior history of them, and sudden weakness throughout her entire body. What system may be compromised?

Answer 8

Neurological System
Changes in hearing
Frequent or severe headaches without history of injury
Problem with swallowing or changes in speech
Changes in vision (blurriness or loss of sight)
Problem with balance, coordination, or falling
Fainting spells (drop attacks)
Sudden weakness

Question 9

Check all that apply that are red flags for a back related tumor:
A. Age over 40
B. history of cancer
C. unexplained weight loss
D. Failed conservative therapy

Answer 9

Age over 50 years
History of cancer
Unexplained weight loss
Failure of conservative therapy

Question 10

Pt complains of constant pain not affected by position or activity that is worse at night in the lower back. The patient may have:

a. tumor
b. kidney disease
c. liver disease
d. osteomyelitis

Answer 10

a. tumor

Question 11

Red flags for Spinal Osteomyelitis include all of the following except:

a. recent infection
b. IV drug user/abuser
c. concurrent immunosuppresive disorder
d. Pain not affected by position

Answer 11

D. Pain not affected by position indicates tumor

Question 12

Patient presents with Deep constant pain, increases with weight bearing
Fever, malaise, and swelling
Spine rigidity, accessory mobility may be limited. The likely diagnosis is:
a. Spinal Osteomyelitis
b. Low back tumor
c. Spinal Osteochondrosis

Answer 12

a. spinal osteomyelitis

Question 13

Mimi comes to your clinic with a complaint of weakness that’s getting worse in her lower legs. As you exam her you find she has sensory deficits in her feet, and she tells you she hasn’t be able to use the restroom in a while. What might she have?

a. Cardiovascular disease
b. Psoas Syndrome
c. Cauda Equina Syndrome
d. Cushings Syndrome

Answer 13

c. Cauda Equina
History of spinal stenosis or degenerative disk disease
Urine retention or incontinence
Fecal incontinence
Saddle anesthesia
Global or progressive weakness in the lower extremities
Sensory deficits in the feet (L4, L5, S1 areas
Ankle dorsiflexion, toe extension, and ankle plantarflexion weakness

Question 14

A history of trauma, prolonged use of steroids, and age over 70 leaves individuals more susceptible to:

a. Obesity
b. Osteomyelitis
c. Spinal Fracture
d. Osteochondrosis

Answer 14

C. Spinal fracture

Question 15

In your exam of the lower back, you find the SP is very tender, the pt has increased pain with weight bearing, and edema around the area of palpation. What is the most likely cause of this presentation?

a. Spinal Osteonecrosis
b. Spinal Fracture
c. Spinal Osteomyelitis

Answer 15

b. Spinal fracture

Question 16

Pt has presents with back pain, reports he is a smoker, but with movement his symptoms are not reproduced. What may be the diagnosis?

a. Abdominal Aneurysm
b. Pneumothorax
c. Colon Cancer
d. Osteoarthritis
e. Osteonecrosis

Answer 16

a. Abdominal Aneurysm
Back, abdominal or groin pain
Presence of peripheral vascular disease or coronary artery disease and associated risk factors (age >50, smoker, HTN, DM
Symptoms not related to movement stresses associated with somatic LBP

Question 17

In your eval, you find the abdominal aorta is greater than 3cm in width, and the presence of a bruit upon auscultation. What may be the diagnosis?

a. Artherosclerosis
b. Abdominal Aneurysm
c. DVT

Answer 17

b. Abnormal width of aortic or iliac arterial pulses

Presence of a bruit in the central epigastric region upon auscultation

Question 18

Henry is 50 and presents with recent blood in his stool and pain unchanged by moving or changing his position. What may be the diagnosis?

a. Rectal Cancer
b. Colon Cancer
c. Prostate Cancer

Answer 18

b. Colon Cancer

Question 19

Upon examination, you find Arthur has tenderness within his abdomen, ascites, and hypoactive bowel sounds. What may he have?

a. Rectal Cancer
b. Colon Cancer
c. Abdominal Aneurysm
d. cauda equina

Answer 19

b. colon cancer

May have hypoactive or hyperactive bowel sounds in the later stages

Question 20

Wendy is 70 and presents with hip and groin pain. She tells you she used to fall before arriving to the nursing home. What may she have?

a. Femoral neck fracture
b. Knee stress fracture
c. Inguinal ligament tear

Answer 20

a. Pathological femoral neck fracture

Question 21

Tara presents with severe and constant pain that worsens when she walks. You find her left leg is shortened and ER. What is your diagnosis?

a. Fracture of femoral neck
b. stress fracture of knee
c. Legg Calve Perthes

Answer 21

a. Pathological femoral neck fracture

Question 22

Ralph complains of this gradual pain near his groin that worsens with weight bearing. His hip feels fairly stiff and he admits to long-term corticosteroid use due to his asthma. What might he have?

a. Fracture of the femoral neck
b. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head
c. Osteochondrosis of the hip joint

Answer 22

b. osteonecrosis
History of long-term corticosteroid use (patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, or asthma)
History of avascular necrosis of the contralateral hip
Trauma

Physical exam findings
Gradual onset of pain; may refer to groin, thigh, or medial knee that is worse with weightbearing
Stiff hip joint; restrictions primarily in IR and flexion

Question 23

A boy aged 6 presents to you with groin pain. He cannot walk without pain, and you find his most painful movements are hip flexion and IR. What may he have?

Answer 23

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease