Basic Pathology 2026/2027 | Robbins & Kumar Basic Pathology 11th Edition Study
Guide, Medical Pathology Exam Prep, Practice Questions with Answers & Rationales,
Cell Injury, Inflammation, Repair, Hemodynamic Disorders, Shock, Immune Diseases,
Neoplasia, Genetic & Pediatric Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Cardiovascular,
Respiratory, Renal, Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Neurological & Skin Pathology
Question 1: Which of the following best defines pathology?
A. The study of the normal structure of the human body
B. The study of the causes and effects of disease
C. The study of the function of body systems
D. The study of pharmacological treatments for illness
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The study of the causes and effects of disease
Rationale: Pathology is the branch of medical science that deals with the nature of
disease, including its causes (etiology), mechanisms (pathogenesis), structural and
functional changes, and clinical consequences. Option A refers to anatomy, C to
physiology, and D to pharmacology.
Question 2: Which term describes the cause or origin of a disease?
A. Pathogenesis
B. Prognosis
C. Etiology
D. Diagnosis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Etiology
Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes of disease. Pathogenesis refers to
the mechanism of disease development, prognosis is the predicted outcome, and
diagnosis is the identification of a disease.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a congenital disease?
A. Hypertension
B. Tetralogy of Fallot
C. Type 2 diabetes mellitus
D. Osteoarthritis
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Tetralogy of Fallot
,Rationale: Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect present at birth.
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis are acquired conditions typically
developing later in life.
Question 4: What is the term for a disease that is acquired during the course of
medical treatment?
A. Iatrogenic
B. Idiopathic
C. Nosocomial
D. Congenital
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic diseases are those caused by medical examination or
treatment. Nosocomial refers to hospital-acquired infections, idiopathic means
unknown cause, and congenital means present at birth.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a nosocomial infection?
A. An infection acquired in the community
B. An infection acquired in a hospital setting
C. An infection transmitted by vectors
D. An infection present at birth
CORRECT ANSWER: B. An infection acquired in a hospital setting
Rationale: Nosocomial infections are acquired during hospitalization and are not
present or incubating at the time of admission. Community-acquired infections
are contracted outside healthcare settings.
Question 6: What is the primary difference between a sign and a symptom?
A. Signs are subjective, symptoms are objective
B. Signs are objective, symptoms are subjective
C. Signs are always severe, symptoms are mild
D. Signs are chronic, symptoms are acute
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Signs are objective, symptoms are subjective
,Rationale: Signs are observable, measurable manifestations of disease (e.g., fever,
rash), while symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient (e.g.,
pain, nausea).
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a chronic disease?
A. Influenza
B. Acute appendicitis
C. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
D. Gastroenteritis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Rationale: COPD is a chronic, progressive lung disease. Influenza, appendicitis, and
gastroenteritis are typically acute conditions with relatively short durations.
Question 8: The study of disease occurrence and distribution in populations is
called:
A. Pathology
B. Epidemiology
C. Histology
D. Cytology
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Epidemiology
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the frequency, distribution, and
determinants of health-related states in populations. Pathology focuses on
disease mechanisms at the individual level.
Question 9: Which of the following terms describes a disease of unknown
cause?
A. Iatrogenic
B. Idiopathic
C. Nosocomial
D. Genetic
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Idiopathic
, Rationale: Idiopathic diseases have no identifiable cause. Iatrogenic diseases
result from medical intervention, nosocomial from hospitalization, and genetic
from inherited mutations.
Question 10: Which of the following is the best example of a primary prevention
strategy?
A. Mammography screening
B. Immunization against measles
C. Physical therapy after stroke
D. Chemotherapy for cancer
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Immunization against measles
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs.
Immunization is a classic example. Mammography is secondary prevention (early
detection), and physical therapy and chemotherapy are tertiary prevention
(treatment and rehabilitation).
Question 11: What is the term for the predicted outcome of a disease?
A. Diagnosis
B. Prognosis
C. Etiology
D. Pathogenesis
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Prognosis
Rationale: Prognosis is the forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease.
Diagnosis identifies the disease, etiology is the cause, and pathogenesis is the
mechanism of development.
Question 12: Which of the following cellular adaptations involves an increase in
cell size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Hypertrophy
Guide, Medical Pathology Exam Prep, Practice Questions with Answers & Rationales,
Cell Injury, Inflammation, Repair, Hemodynamic Disorders, Shock, Immune Diseases,
Neoplasia, Genetic & Pediatric Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Cardiovascular,
Respiratory, Renal, Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Neurological & Skin Pathology
Question 1: Which of the following best defines pathology?
A. The study of the normal structure of the human body
B. The study of the causes and effects of disease
C. The study of the function of body systems
D. The study of pharmacological treatments for illness
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The study of the causes and effects of disease
Rationale: Pathology is the branch of medical science that deals with the nature of
disease, including its causes (etiology), mechanisms (pathogenesis), structural and
functional changes, and clinical consequences. Option A refers to anatomy, C to
physiology, and D to pharmacology.
Question 2: Which term describes the cause or origin of a disease?
A. Pathogenesis
B. Prognosis
C. Etiology
D. Diagnosis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Etiology
Rationale: Etiology is the study of the causes of disease. Pathogenesis refers to
the mechanism of disease development, prognosis is the predicted outcome, and
diagnosis is the identification of a disease.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of a congenital disease?
A. Hypertension
B. Tetralogy of Fallot
C. Type 2 diabetes mellitus
D. Osteoarthritis
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Tetralogy of Fallot
,Rationale: Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect present at birth.
Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and osteoarthritis are acquired conditions typically
developing later in life.
Question 4: What is the term for a disease that is acquired during the course of
medical treatment?
A. Iatrogenic
B. Idiopathic
C. Nosocomial
D. Congenital
CORRECT ANSWER: A. Iatrogenic
Rationale: Iatrogenic diseases are those caused by medical examination or
treatment. Nosocomial refers to hospital-acquired infections, idiopathic means
unknown cause, and congenital means present at birth.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a nosocomial infection?
A. An infection acquired in the community
B. An infection acquired in a hospital setting
C. An infection transmitted by vectors
D. An infection present at birth
CORRECT ANSWER: B. An infection acquired in a hospital setting
Rationale: Nosocomial infections are acquired during hospitalization and are not
present or incubating at the time of admission. Community-acquired infections
are contracted outside healthcare settings.
Question 6: What is the primary difference between a sign and a symptom?
A. Signs are subjective, symptoms are objective
B. Signs are objective, symptoms are subjective
C. Signs are always severe, symptoms are mild
D. Signs are chronic, symptoms are acute
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Signs are objective, symptoms are subjective
,Rationale: Signs are observable, measurable manifestations of disease (e.g., fever,
rash), while symptoms are subjective experiences reported by the patient (e.g.,
pain, nausea).
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of a chronic disease?
A. Influenza
B. Acute appendicitis
C. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
D. Gastroenteritis
CORRECT ANSWER: C. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Rationale: COPD is a chronic, progressive lung disease. Influenza, appendicitis, and
gastroenteritis are typically acute conditions with relatively short durations.
Question 8: The study of disease occurrence and distribution in populations is
called:
A. Pathology
B. Epidemiology
C. Histology
D. Cytology
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Epidemiology
Rationale: Epidemiology is the study of the frequency, distribution, and
determinants of health-related states in populations. Pathology focuses on
disease mechanisms at the individual level.
Question 9: Which of the following terms describes a disease of unknown
cause?
A. Iatrogenic
B. Idiopathic
C. Nosocomial
D. Genetic
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Idiopathic
, Rationale: Idiopathic diseases have no identifiable cause. Iatrogenic diseases
result from medical intervention, nosocomial from hospitalization, and genetic
from inherited mutations.
Question 10: Which of the following is the best example of a primary prevention
strategy?
A. Mammography screening
B. Immunization against measles
C. Physical therapy after stroke
D. Chemotherapy for cancer
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Immunization against measles
Rationale: Primary prevention aims to prevent disease before it occurs.
Immunization is a classic example. Mammography is secondary prevention (early
detection), and physical therapy and chemotherapy are tertiary prevention
(treatment and rehabilitation).
Question 11: What is the term for the predicted outcome of a disease?
A. Diagnosis
B. Prognosis
C. Etiology
D. Pathogenesis
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Prognosis
Rationale: Prognosis is the forecast of the likely course and outcome of a disease.
Diagnosis identifies the disease, etiology is the cause, and pathogenesis is the
mechanism of development.
Question 12: Which of the following cellular adaptations involves an increase in
cell size?
A. Hyperplasia
B. Hypertrophy
C. Atrophy
D. Metaplasia
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Hypertrophy
