Practice targeted AMC-style multiple-choice questions on computed tomography (CT).
A 3-year-old child is brought to the paediatric clinic by their parents due to a 2-month history of increasing abdominal distension, poor appetite, and occasional constipation. On physical examination, a firm, irregular mass is palpable in the upper abdomen, crossing the midline. Vital signs are stable. Initial blood tests, including full blood count and liver function tests, are within normal limits. An abdominal CT scan is performed (image provided). Considering the findings demonstrated in the image, which of the following investigations represents the most appropriate next step in establishing a definitive diagnosis and guiding further management?
A 72-year-old male with a history of smoking and hyperlipidemia presents for a health check. He is asymptomatic. A contrast-enhanced CT abdomen is performed as part of a screening protocol. An axial view is shown. Besides optimizing medical management, what is the MOST appropriate next step?
A 68-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 12-hour history of severe, constant left groin pain. He reports a bulge in his groin that has been present for several years, which he can usually reduce himself. However, today he has been unable to push it back in, and the pain has become excruciating. He denies any fever, nausea, or vomiting. On examination, his vital signs are stable: temperature 37.0°C, heart rate 88 bpm, blood pressure 130/80 mmHg, respiratory rate 16 breaths/min, and oxygen saturation 98% on room air. Abdominal examination is unremarkable. Palpation of the left groin reveals a firm, tender mass that is non-reducible. The overlying skin is erythematous, but there is no crepitus. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, and an axial slice is shown. Given the clinical scenario and the imaging findings, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 55-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of left lower quadrant abdominal pain, associated with a low-grade fever (38.1°C) and mild nausea. He denies vomiting, diarrhoea, or rectal bleeding. On examination, he has localised tenderness in the left iliac fossa. His vital signs are stable: BP 130/80 mmHg, HR 78 bpm, RR 16/min, SpO2 98% on air. Blood tests show a white cell count of 12.5 x 10^9/L and CRP 45 mg/L. An abdominal CT scan is performed (image provided). Following successful management of this acute episode, what is the most appropriate next step regarding long-term assessment of the colon?
A 35-year-old male with a history of multiple cutaneous vascular lesions presents with recurrent episodes of crampy abdominal pain and melena over the past month. His vital signs are stable. An abdominal CT scan is performed. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, what is the most likely underlying pathology responsible for the patient's symptoms and the observed bowel findings?
A 68-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of new onset left flank pain radiating to his groin. He reports a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia, both managed with medications. He denies any recent trauma. His vital signs are stable: blood pressure 130/80 mmHg, heart rate 88 bpm, respiratory rate 16 breaths/min, and oxygen saturation 98% on room air. Physical examination reveals mild tenderness to palpation in the left flank, but no guarding or rebound tenderness. Peripheral pulses are normal and symmetric. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, the axial view is shown. Given the clinical context and the findings on the image, which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 75-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation on warfarin presents to the emergency department with acute onset shortness of breath and right-sided chest pain. His vital signs are stable. His INR is found to be 7.2. A chest CT is performed (image attached). Based on the clinical presentation and imaging findings, what is the MOST appropriate immediate management step?
A 32-year-old male with a history of Crohn's disease presents with worsening abdominal pain, diarrhea, and a low-grade fever. He reports that his symptoms have been progressively worsening over the past few months despite being on maintenance therapy with azathioprine. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, as shown. Based on the imaging findings, which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
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). The provided image was obtained as part of his staging workup. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
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 62-year-old male presents to the emergency department complaining of left lower quadrant abdominal pain for the past three days. He describes the pain as constant and sharp, rating it an 8 out of 10. He also reports nausea, decreased appetite, and subjective fevers. His past medical history is significant for hypertension and hyperlipidemia, both well-controlled with medications. He denies any recent travel or sick contacts. On physical examination, his abdomen is tender to palpation in the left lower quadrant with guarding. Bowel sounds are present but diminished. The remainder of his examination is unremarkable. His vital signs are: Temperature 38.2°C, Heart Rate 98 bpm, Blood Pressure 140/90 mmHg, Respiratory Rate 18 breaths per minute, and Oxygen Saturation 98% on room air. Laboratory results show a white blood cell count of 14,000/µL with a neutrophilic predominance. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast is performed, and a representative image is shown. Assuming the patient has no allergies, what is the MOST appropriate initial management strategy?
A 70-year-old man presents with a 3-month history of worsening constipation, occasional bright red rectal bleeding, and unexplained fatigue. His GP notes mild pallor. Full blood count reveals a haemoglobin of 105 g/L and low ferritin. A colonoscopy is performed, and the image provided is a representative view of a finding in the sigmoid colon. Biopsies were taken. Considering the clinical context and the endoscopic appearance, which of the following is the most appropriate next step in the management pathway to determine the extent of disease?
A 28-year-old female presents with right lower quadrant pain for 3 days. She denies fever, vomiting, or vaginal discharge. Her last menstrual period was 2 weeks ago. The shown CT was performed. What is the MOST likely diagnosis?
A 4-year-old presents with abdominal distension and back pain for 2 months. Exam reveals a firm, fixed abdominal mass. Vitals are normal. An abdominal CT is performed (axial view shown). Which lab finding would MOST strongly support the suspected diagnosis?
A 32-year-old woman presents to the ED with acute lower abdominal pain. She reports nausea but denies fever or vaginal bleeding. Her last menstrual period was 3 weeks ago. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, the relevant image is shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 62-year-old woman presents with a 4-month history of increasing abdominal distension, bloating, and a sensation of early fullness after eating. She has also noticed a gradual increase in her waist circumference and reports feeling more fatigued than usual. Her medical history includes well-controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolaemia, managed with metformin and atorvastatin respectively. She is post-menopausal, having completed menopause 10 years ago. On physical examination, her vital signs are stable: blood pressure 128/78 mmHg, heart rate 68 bpm, respiratory rate 14/min, and temperature 36.6°C. Abdominal examination reveals moderate distension and a firm, irregular mass is palpable extending from the pelvis into the lower abdomen. Bowel sounds are present and normal. A recent transvaginal ultrasound was inconclusive due to the size of the mass, prompting a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, an axial image from which is shown. Given the clinical presentation and the findings on the image, what is the most appropriate immediate next step in the management of this patient?
A 32-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 3-day history of worsening abdominal pain, primarily localized to the right lower quadrant. He reports associated nausea and decreased appetite but denies vomiting or diarrhea. His past medical history is significant for Crohn's disease, diagnosed 8 years ago, managed with intermittent courses of oral corticosteroids and azathioprine. He admits to poor adherence to his azathioprine regimen over the past year. On examination, he is afebrile with a heart rate of 92 bpm, blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg, and oxygen saturation of 98% on room air. Abdominal examination reveals tenderness to palpation in the right lower quadrant with guarding. Bowel sounds are normoactive. Laboratory investigations reveal a white blood cell count of 11,500/µL with neutrophilia, a C-reactive protein (CRP) of 45 mg/L, and normal liver function tests. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with IV contrast is performed, the relevant images of which are shown. Given the patient's presentation and imaging findings, which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 70-year-old male with known gastric MANEC presents with worsening jaundice and ascites. The provided CT scan was performed. Which of the following serum markers would be MOST useful in monitoring disease progression in this patient?
A 65-year-old man presents with 2 days of left lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and nausea. On examination, he is afebrile, haemodynamically stable, with localised tenderness in the LLQ. Blood tests show a WCC of 14.5. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, what is the most appropriate initial management plan?
A 28-year-old male presents with a persistent cough and fatigue. A PET-CT scan was performed. What is the MOST likely diagnosis?
A 70-year-old male undergoes a CT scan for investigation of chronic back pain. He is otherwise asymptomatic with stable vital signs. The image provided is an axial view from this scan. Based on this finding, what is the most appropriate next step in the patient's management according to current guidelines?
A 68-year-old man with hypertension presents with sudden onset right-sided weakness and slurred speech. GCS is 13. BP 190/110 mmHg. What is the most critical initial investigation to guide management?
A 78-year-old male on warfarin for atrial fibrillation presents with acute severe dyspnoea and right-sided pleuritic chest pain. Vitals: T 36.8°C, HR 95, BP 110/70, RR 24, SpO2 92% RA. Exam: decreased breath sounds, dullness right hemithorax. A CT scan of the chest is performed. Considering the patient's presentation, history, and the imaging findings, which is the most appropriate immediate management?
A 63-year-old man presents with increasing postprandial fullness and epigastric discomfort. He reports occasional regurgitation of undigested food. A CT scan of the abdomen is performed. Based on the image, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 72-year-old male with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia presents for a routine follow-up. He is asymptomatic. A contrast-enhanced CT abdomen, axial view shown, was performed as part of a screening protocol. What is the MOST appropriate next step?
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?
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 62-year-old male with LLQ pain and mild fever has the CT abdomen shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 68-year-old male presents to the ED with a painful lump in his groin that has been present for 3 days. He reports nausea but denies vomiting. His vital signs are stable. An abdominal CT is performed, and a slice is shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 3-year-old presents with abdominal distension and vague pain. Vitals are stable. An abdominal CT is performed (image attached). Elevated levels of HVA and VMA are noted in the urine. What is the MOST likely origin of the primary lesion?
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 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. Considering the clinical context and the findings on the image, which of the following represents the most appropriate initial management strategy?
A 78-year-old male on warfarin for atrial fibrillation presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of severe dyspnoea and right-sided pleuritic chest pain. He denies trauma. On examination, he is tachypnoeic, oxygen saturation is 92% on room air. Blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, heart rate 95 bpm. Chest examination reveals decreased breath sounds on the right. A CT scan of the chest is performed. Considering the patient's clinical presentation, medical history, and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, which of the following interventions is most critical to initiate *before* considering invasive drainage?
A 59-year-old lady with a past history of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension, and no smoking history, presents with a 3-month history of cough, blood-tinged sputum, night sweats, and a 5 kg weight loss. What are the most appropriate initial investigations for the likely diagnosis?
A 78-year-old male on warfarin for atrial fibrillation presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of severe dyspnoea and right-sided pleuritic chest pain. He denies trauma. On examination, he is tachypnoeic, oxygen saturation is 92% on room air. Blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, heart rate 95 bpm. Chest examination reveals decreased breath sounds on the right. A CT scan of the chest is performed. Considering the patient's clinical presentation, medical history, and the findings demonstrated in the provided image, which of the following represents the most appropriate immediate management strategy?
A 62-year-old male presents to the ED with left lower quadrant abdominal pain, fever, and nausea for 3 days. His WBC count is 14,000. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed, the axial view is shown. What is the most appropriate next step in management?
A 55-year-old male presents with LLQ pain, fever, and increased WBC. A CT scan is performed. He is hemodynamically stable. Based on the image, which of the following is the MOST appropriate initial management strategy?
A 65-year-old male presents with a 3-month history of unintentional weight loss and epigastric discomfort. Endoscopy revealed a gastric mass, and biopsy confirmed a mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma. Staging imaging is shown. His ECOG performance status is 1. Considering the clinical presentation and the findings demonstrated in the provided images, what is the most appropriate initial management strategy for this patient?
A 35-year-old male presents to the ED with intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and melena. He has multiple cutaneous hemangiomas. A CT scan is performed, as shown. What is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 65-year-old man presents to his GP with a 2-day history of constant, dull aching pain in the left lower quadrant of his abdomen. He reports mild nausea but no vomiting. His bowel movements have been normal. He denies fever or chills. His past medical history includes well-controlled hypertension. On examination, he is afebrile (37.2°C), blood pressure is 135/85 mmHg, heart rate 72 bpm, respiratory rate 16 bpm. Abdominal examination reveals mild tenderness on deep palpation in the left iliac fossa, without guarding or rebound tenderness. Bowel sounds are normal. Digital rectal examination is unremarkable. Laboratory investigations show a white cell count of 10.5 x 10^9/L (normal range 4-11) and a C-reactive protein of 25 mg/L (normal <5). A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis is performed (image provided). Considering the patient's 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 presents with recent onset tenesmus and passage of mucus. He has lost 4kg over 2 months. Colonoscopy was performed, and a representative image is shown. Biopsies are pending but the appearance is highly suspicious for malignancy. What is the MOST appropriate initial investigation to assess for metastatic disease?
A 28-year-old woman presents with pelvic pain that started suddenly 2 days ago. Her periods are irregular. She denies fever or vomiting. The shown CT was performed. What is the MOST likely diagnosis?
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 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 image, what is the most appropriate next step in management?
A 68-year-old male presents with fatigue, weight loss, and vague abdominal discomfort. His past medical history is significant for a recently diagnosed gastric mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC). A CT scan of the abdomen is performed. Based on the imaging, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?
A 65-year-old male presents with a 2-month history of fatigue, poor appetite, and 5kg weight loss. He reports mild upper abdominal discomfort. Physical examination is unremarkable. Initial blood tests show mild anaemia. An upper endoscopy revealed a suspicious gastric lesion, with biopsy results pending. A CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was performed. Given the clinical presentation and the findings on the provided imaging, which of the following statements regarding this patient's likely prognosis and management is most accurate?
A 45-year-old patient with a long history of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and multiple cutaneous vascular lesions presents with acute onset severe abdominal pain, nausea, and distension. Physical examination reveals a distended, mildly tender abdomen. Bowel sounds are reduced. Vital signs are stable. Imaging is performed. Considering the patient's presentation and the findings demonstrated in the image, which of the following represents the most appropriate initial management approach?
A 58-year-old woman presents with a 7-year history of chronic cough productive of copious, often purulent, sputum, particularly noticeable in the mornings. She reports requiring 4-5 courses of antibiotics annually for exacerbations of her 'chronic bronchitis'. She is a non-smoker and has no significant past medical history other than childhood measles complicated by pneumonia. On examination, she has scattered coarse crackles bilaterally at the lung bases. Her oxygen saturation is 96% on room air. Spirometry performed 3 months ago showed FEV1 78% predicted, FVC 85% predicted, FEV1/FVC 0.75. A recent chest X-ray was reported as showing 'mild peribronchial thickening'. Given the clinical suspicion, what is the single most appropriate next investigation to establish the diagnosis?
An asymptomatic 70-year-old male undergoes a CT scan of the abdomen as part of an investigation for mild, intermittent lower back pain. His vital signs are stable, and physical examination is unremarkable. Considering the findings on the provided image, what is the most appropriate next step in this patient's management?
A 63-year-old man presents with increasing postprandial fullness and epigastric discomfort. A CT scan of the abdomen is performed. Based on the image, what is the MOST appropriate next step in management?