ADVANCED ASSESSMENT 4TH EDITION
INTERPRETING FINDINGS AND
FORMULATING DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES
BY MARY JO GOOLSBY COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION TEST PAPER 2026
⩥ When is laboratory investigation necessary in diagnosis of oral
lesions? Answer: Not always necessary; sometimes complementary to
biopsy data
⩥ What factors increase the degree of suspicion for malignancy?
Answer: Social habits, lesion location, duration, involvement of adjacent
structures, appearance of lesion
⩥ What is the definition of biopsy? Answer: Removal of tissue from a
living individual for diagnostic examination
⩥ What are the types of biopsies used in oral pathology? Answer:
Aspiration biopsy, cytology (oral brush), incisional biopsy, excisional
biopsy
⩥ What are the indications for biopsy? Answer: Any lesion persisting >2
weeks with no apparent cause, inflammatory lesions not responding after
10-14 days, persistent surface changes, persistent tumescence, lesions
, interfering with function, bone lesions when inflammatory conditions
are ruled out
⩥ What is an aspiration biopsy and when is it indicated? Answer: Using
a needle and syringe to aspirate cells or contents from a lesion; indicated
for lesions thought to contain fluid or intraosseous lesions before
surgery, especially fluctuant masses
⩥ What is the technique for aspiration biopsy? Answer: Use 18-gauge
needle with 5-10 mL syringe, prep area sterile, reposition needle for
adequate sample, smear contents on slide, place in fixative solution
⩥ How is an oral brush biopsy performed and what is its purpose?
Answer: Brush rotated with firm pressure 5-10 times on oral epithelium
to collect superficial, intermediate, and basal layer cells; slide evaluated
by computer and pathologist to detect dysplasia or malignancy
⩥ What are the indications for oral brush biopsy? Answer: Monitoring
patients with chronic mucosal changes, minimally invasive, quick,
triggers but does not replace scalpel biopsy
⩥ What is an incisional biopsy and when is it indicated? Answer:
Sampling only a representative area of a lesion; indicated for large
lesions, difficult excision, involvement of adjacent structures, or
suspected malignancy
INTERPRETING FINDINGS AND
FORMULATING DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES
BY MARY JO GOOLSBY COMPREHENSIVE
EXAMINATION TEST PAPER 2026
⩥ When is laboratory investigation necessary in diagnosis of oral
lesions? Answer: Not always necessary; sometimes complementary to
biopsy data
⩥ What factors increase the degree of suspicion for malignancy?
Answer: Social habits, lesion location, duration, involvement of adjacent
structures, appearance of lesion
⩥ What is the definition of biopsy? Answer: Removal of tissue from a
living individual for diagnostic examination
⩥ What are the types of biopsies used in oral pathology? Answer:
Aspiration biopsy, cytology (oral brush), incisional biopsy, excisional
biopsy
⩥ What are the indications for biopsy? Answer: Any lesion persisting >2
weeks with no apparent cause, inflammatory lesions not responding after
10-14 days, persistent surface changes, persistent tumescence, lesions
, interfering with function, bone lesions when inflammatory conditions
are ruled out
⩥ What is an aspiration biopsy and when is it indicated? Answer: Using
a needle and syringe to aspirate cells or contents from a lesion; indicated
for lesions thought to contain fluid or intraosseous lesions before
surgery, especially fluctuant masses
⩥ What is the technique for aspiration biopsy? Answer: Use 18-gauge
needle with 5-10 mL syringe, prep area sterile, reposition needle for
adequate sample, smear contents on slide, place in fixative solution
⩥ How is an oral brush biopsy performed and what is its purpose?
Answer: Brush rotated with firm pressure 5-10 times on oral epithelium
to collect superficial, intermediate, and basal layer cells; slide evaluated
by computer and pathologist to detect dysplasia or malignancy
⩥ What are the indications for oral brush biopsy? Answer: Monitoring
patients with chronic mucosal changes, minimally invasive, quick,
triggers but does not replace scalpel biopsy
⩥ What is an incisional biopsy and when is it indicated? Answer:
Sampling only a representative area of a lesion; indicated for large
lesions, difficult excision, involvement of adjacent structures, or
suspected malignancy
