Practice targeted AMC-style multiple-choice questions on abdominal pain.
A 38-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. He reports passing dark, tarry stools. He has a known history of multiple cutaneous hemangiomas since childhood. On examination, his abdomen is distended and tender to palpation, particularly in the periumbilical region. Bowel sounds are hyperactive. Vitals are: HR 110 bpm, BP 100/60 mmHg, RR 20 breaths/min, SpO2 97% on room air, Temp 37.2°C. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, and a representative image is shown. Given the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the MOST appropriate initial management strategy?
A 62-year-old male presents to his general practitioner with a six-month history of a painless bulge in his right groin. On examination, a soft swelling is palpable in the right inguinal region, which increases in size on coughing or straining. The swelling is located medial to the inferior epigastric vessels. Which of the following is the most appropriate initial management strategy according to current Australian guidelines?
A 55-year-old man presents with 2 days of left lower quadrant pain and mild constipation. He denies fever, nausea, or vomiting. On examination, he is afebrile, BP 120/70, HR 65, O2 sat 99% on air. There is mild LLQ tenderness without guarding or rebound. Bloods show WCC 11.5, CRP 30. A CT scan is performed. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate initial management plan?
A 3-year-old boy presents with intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting, and currant jelly stools. An ultrasound is performed, revealing the finding shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in the management of this patient?
A 1-month-old baby has a palpable mass in the right flank and abdominal swelling. An ultrasound reveals a solid mass in the kidney. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A 62-year-old male with a history of hepatitis C presents with new onset ascites and right upper quadrant pain. His AFP is markedly elevated. A contrast-enhanced ultrasound is performed, as shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 3-year-old boy presents to the emergency department with a 12-hour history of sudden onset, severe, colicky abdominal pain, drawing his legs up, and non-bilious vomiting. His parents report he has been listless between episodes and had a small amount of red jelly-like stool earlier. Vitals: T 37.2°C, HR 110, RR 24, BP 95/60, Sats 98% on air. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the right upper quadrant and a palpable mass. Bowel sounds are diminished. A point-of-care ultrasound is performed. Based on the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided ultrasound image, what is the most appropriate initial management step for this patient?
A 3-year-old boy presents with intermittent abdominal pain and vomiting. Stool examination reveals a positive occult blood test. An ultrasound is performed, as shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 62-year-old male presents to the emergency department with right upper quadrant abdominal pain, weight loss, and increasing jaundice over the past month. He has a history of chronic hepatitis C infection and heavy alcohol use. His vital signs are stable. Physical examination reveals hepatomegaly and mild ascites. Laboratory investigations show elevated bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is significantly elevated. A CT scan of the abdomen with and without contrast is performed, as shown. Based on the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 58-year-old male with cirrhosis secondary to alcohol abuse presents with new-onset ascites and RUQ pain. His AFP is markedly elevated. A CT abdomen with IV contrast is performed, as shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in confirming the suspected diagnosis?
A 68-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of worsening left lower quadrant abdominal pain, associated with subjective fever, chills, and nausea. He reports some recent constipation. On examination, his temperature is 38.5°C, pulse 95 bpm, BP 130/80 mmHg. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness and guarding in the left iliac fossa. Bowel sounds are reduced. Blood tests show a white cell count of 15 x 10^9/L (neutrophils 85%) and C-reactive protein of 120 mg/L. Urea, electrolytes, and creatinine are within normal limits. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed (image provided). Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, which of the following represents the most appropriate initial management strategy?
A 72-year-old woman presents with 3 days of worsening right upper quadrant pain, nausea, and vomiting. She has a history of dyspepsia. On examination, she is afebrile (37.2°C), heart rate 95 bpm, blood pressure 130/80 mmHg. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the right upper quadrant without guarding or rebound. Bowel sounds are present. Her white cell count is 11 x 10^9/L, CRP 80 mg/L. Liver function tests are normal. The provided imaging was obtained. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided imaging, which of the following complications is this patient at increased risk of developing?
A 32-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with severe right lower abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. She reports that the pain started suddenly a few hours ago and has been worsening. Her last menstrual period was two weeks ago. On examination, she has tenderness and guarding in the right lower quadrant. A pregnancy test is negative. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A 64-year-old woman presents for a routine health check. She reports intermittent episodes of colicky abdominal pain over the past year, which have since resolved. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, the image of which is shown. Liver function tests are within normal limits. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 45-year-old male with a known history of Blue Rubber Bleb Naevus Syndrome, characterised by recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and multiple cutaneous vascular lesions, presents to the emergency department with acute onset severe, colicky abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. On examination, his abdomen is distended and diffusely tender with reduced bowel sounds. Vital signs are within normal limits. An urgent abdominal CT scan is performed. Considering the patient's history, acute presentation, and the findings on the abdominal CT scan, what is the most appropriate immediate management strategy?
A 64-year-old woman presents for a routine health check. She reports intermittent episodes of colicky abdominal pain over the past year, which have resolved spontaneously. She denies any current pain, jaundice, fever, or changes in bowel habits. Her physical examination is unremarkable, with a soft, non-tender abdomen. Liver function tests are within normal limits. An abdominal ultrasound, as shown, was performed. Given the clinical context and the ultrasound findings, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 78-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 6-hour history of sudden onset, severe pain and swelling in his right groin. He reports nausea but no vomiting. On examination, there is a tender, firm, non-reducible lump in the right inguinal region. Bowel sounds are present. Vitals are stable: BP 130/80, HR 75, Temp 36.8°C. A CT scan of the pelvis is performed, shown in the image. Based on the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate immediate next step in the management of this patient?
A 62-year-old male presents with jaundice and right upper quadrant pain. Initial labs show elevated bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. An ERCP is performed, and the image is obtained. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 65-year-old presents with 2 days of left lower quadrant pain, fever (38.5°C), and nausea. On examination, there is localised tenderness in the LLQ. Vitals: BP 130/80, HR 90, RR 16, SpO2 98%. CRP is 150 mg/L, WCC 18 x 10^9/L. This image is obtained as part of the workup. Based on the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the most appropriate initial management step?
A 4-year-old presents with abdominal distension, pain, and weight loss over several weeks. On examination, a firm, irregular abdominal mass is palpable. Blood tests show mild anaemia. The provided image is an axial CT slice of the abdomen. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, which of the following investigations is the MOST appropriate initial step to establish a definitive diagnosis?
A 72-year-old presents with acute cholangitis (fever, jaundice, RUQ pain). LFTs show obstructive pattern. ERCP is performed for biliary decompression and stone extraction. Following successful cannulation and cholangiography, the image is obtained. Based on the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate immediate next step during this procedure?
A 3-year-old boy presents with sudden onset, intermittent, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and lethargy. On examination, he is pale and has a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant. An ultrasound is performed (image provided). Based on the clinical presentation and the image, what is the most appropriate next step in management?
A 75-year-old male with a history of a reducible groin hernia presents with acute abdominal pain. The provided image was taken. What is the most likely complication?
A 64-year-old woman presents for an elective abdominal ultrasound. Several months ago, she experienced a few episodes of intermittent, moderate-to-severe right upper quadrant pain that resolved spontaneously within a few hours each time. She denies any associated fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, or jaundice during those episodes or currently. She has no significant past medical history other than well-controlled hypertension. On examination today, she is afebrile, her vital signs are stable, and her abdomen is soft and non-tender. Routine blood tests performed prior to the ultrasound, including full blood count, liver function tests (bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT, GGT), amylase, and lipase, are all within their respective normal reference ranges. The provided image is a representative view obtained during her ultrasound examination. Considering the patient's history, current clinical status, and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate next step in the management of this patient?
A 28-year-old female presents to the ED with acute onset right lower quadrant pain. She reports nausea and vomiting. Her last menstrual period was 6 weeks ago, and she denies any vaginal bleeding. She is hemodynamically stable. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, with a relevant image shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in the management of this patient?
A 68-year-old male with a history of chronic hepatitis C presents to the clinic complaining of right upper quadrant abdominal pain and unintentional weight loss of 10 kg over the past 6 months. His past medical history is significant for well-controlled hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Physical examination reveals mild hepatomegaly. Laboratory investigations show elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels. A contrast-enhanced ultrasound of the liver is performed, and representative images are shown. Based on the imaging and clinical context, which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 30-year-old man presents to the emergency department with severe right lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. The pain started around the umbilicus and then localized to the right lower quadrant. On examination, he has tenderness and guarding in the right lower quadrant. His temperature is 38.3°C, heart rate is 100 bpm, and blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A 58-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of severe, constant right upper quadrant pain for the past 12 hours. He reports associated nausea and several episodes of non-bilious vomiting. He denies any fever or chills. His past medical history includes type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension, both managed with oral medications. On examination, the patient is alert and oriented. His vital signs are: temperature 37.2°C, heart rate 105 bpm, blood pressure 150/90 mmHg, respiratory rate 20 breaths/min, and SpO2 97% on room air. Abdominal examination reveals significant tenderness to palpation in the right upper quadrant, with guarding. Murphy's sign is positive. Laboratory investigations reveal a white blood cell count of 14,000/µL with neutrophilic predominance, total bilirubin of 2.5 mg/dL, alkaline phosphatase of 250 U/L, ALT of 150 U/L, and AST of 120 U/L. The provided image was obtained. Given the clinical scenario and the findings on the image, which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial management strategy?
A 45-year-old male presents with left flank pain radiating to the groin. Urinalysis shows microscopic hematuria. What is the MOST likely diagnosis based on the image?
An 80-year-old male presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of severe right groin pain and a non-reducible bulge. He has a history of a reducible inguinal hernia. Vitals are stable. A CT scan of the pelvis is performed. Considering the clinical presentation and the provided imaging, what is the most appropriate immediate management step?
A 25-year-old man presents to the emergency department with severe abdominal pain that started around his umbilicus and has now localized to the right lower quadrant. He has nausea and has vomited twice. On examination, he has tenderness and guarding in the right lower quadrant. His temperature is 37.8°C, and his white blood cell count is elevated. What is the most likely diagnosis?
A 62-year-old male presents with left lower quadrant pain, fever, and leukocytosis. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed (image attached). Assuming the diagnosis, which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial management?
A 45-year-old patient with a known history of multiple cutaneous vascular lesions presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of intermittent, colicky abdominal pain and nausea. They report chronic fatigue and have a history of iron deficiency anaemia requiring occasional transfusions. On physical examination, vital signs are stable (BP 120/80, HR 75, RR 16, Temp 36.8°C). There is mild diffuse abdominal tenderness without guarding or rebound. Cutaneous examination reveals multiple blue-purple papules and nodules scattered over the trunk and limbs. An abdominal CT scan is performed. Considering the patient's clinical presentation, known history, and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, what is the most appropriate initial management strategy?
A 32-year-old male with Crohn's disease presents with worsening abdominal pain and diarrhea despite being on maintenance infliximab. He denies fever or blood in his stool. An abdominal CT and MRI are performed. Based on the imaging, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 55-year-old renal transplant recipient on long-term immunosuppression presents with a 2-week history of low-grade fever, malaise, and dull right upper quadrant discomfort. Physical exam is unremarkable except for mild tenderness. Labs show mild leucocytosis and elevated CRP. Imaging is shown. What is the most appropriate next step to determine the specific aetiology of the findings?
A 3-year-old boy presents with sudden onset intermittent severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and lethargy. On examination, he is pale but haemodynamically stable. Abdominal examination reveals a palpable mass in the right upper quadrant. An ultrasound is performed (image provided). What is the most appropriate next step in management?
A 28-year-old female presents with sudden onset severe right lower quadrant pain, associated with nausea and one episode of vomiting. Her last menstrual period was 6 weeks ago. On examination, she is afebrile, heart rate 88, blood pressure 120/70. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the right iliac fossa. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, with a relevant axial image shown. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the MOST appropriate immediate next step in the management of this patient?
A 3-year-old presents with abdominal distension and bone pain. The provided image was obtained. What is the MOST likely source of the elevated urine HVA and VMA?
A 45-year-old woman presents to the ED with right upper quadrant pain, fever, and nausea for 24 hours. Her vital signs are: HR 110, BP 130/80, Temp 38.5°C. An abdominal CT scan is performed (image attached). What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 75-year-old female presents to the emergency department with a 24-hour history of worsening colicky abdominal pain, nausea, and multiple episodes of bilious vomiting. She reports no passage of flatus or stool for the past 18 hours. Her past medical history includes an open appendectomy 30 years ago and a hysterectomy 10 years ago. On examination, she is afebrile, heart rate 92 bpm, blood pressure 130/80 mmHg, respiratory rate 18/min, oxygen saturation 98% on room air. Her abdomen is distended and diffusely tender to palpation, with high-pitched tinkling bowel sounds on auscultation. A plain abdominal X-ray series, including the image provided, was obtained. Considering the patient's clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, which of the following represents the most appropriate immediate next step in her management?
A 64-year-old woman reports intermittent RUQ pain. She denies jaundice or fever. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, image shown. Besides referral for surgery, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 32-year-old male with a 10-year history of Crohn's disease presents with worsening abdominal pain and increased frequency of bowel movements. He reports no fever or weight loss. Physical examination reveals mild tenderness in the right lower quadrant. His inflammatory markers are elevated. Review the provided imaging. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with left lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and leukocytosis. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed. Based on the imaging, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 62-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of worsening abdominal pain, fatigue, and a 10kg unintentional weight loss over the past 3 months. He reports a history of peptic ulcer disease treated with long-term proton pump inhibitors. Physical examination reveals mild hepatomegaly and trace ascites. Initial laboratory investigations show elevated alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), with normal bilirubin and transaminases. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast is performed, and relevant images are shown. Given the clinical presentation and the findings on the imaging, which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 68-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of right upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and yellowing of her eyes. Her vital signs are stable, but laboratory investigations reveal elevated inflammatory markers and liver function tests consistent with biliary obstruction and infection. An ERCP is performed, and the image is obtained. Following successful intervention to relieve the obstruction, the patient's symptoms begin to improve. Considering the likely underlying cause of this presentation and the findings during the procedure, what is the MOST appropriate next step in managing this patient's condition?
A 68-year-old male presents with fatigue, weight loss, and vague abdominal discomfort. His past medical history includes a recent diagnosis of gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). A CT scan of the abdomen is performed, the results of which are shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 28-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with severe lower abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. She is 8 weeks pregnant by last menstrual period. She reports no fever or chills. On examination, her blood pressure is 100/60 mmHg, heart rate is 110 bpm, and she appears pale and diaphoretic. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness in the lower quadrants without rebound tenderness or guarding. A pelvic examination shows a closed cervical os with moderate bleeding. A bedside transvaginal ultrasound reveals an empty uterus. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
A 45-year-old woman presents to her GP with recurrent episodes of biliary colic. An ultrasound confirms the presence of multiple gallstones. She is otherwise healthy with no significant past medical history. After discussing management options, she opts for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in her preoperative assessment, according to Australian guidelines?
A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of worsening left lower quadrant abdominal pain, associated with fever and chills. He reports a change in bowel habit with increased constipation. On examination, he is febrile at 38.6°C and has significant tenderness and guarding in the left iliac fossa. His white cell count is 18 x 10^9/L. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed (image provided). Considering the patient's presentation and the findings on the provided image, which of the following represents the most appropriate initial management step in addition to intravenous antibiotics?
A 64-year-old woman presents for follow-up after experiencing episodes of right upper quadrant pain several months ago, which resolved spontaneously. She denies fever, jaundice, or current abdominal discomfort. Routine blood tests including LFTs are within normal limits. An abdominal ultrasound was performed, with a representative image provided. Considering her history and the imaging findings, what is the most appropriate next step in management?