WGU D236 Pathophysiology Lymphatic System Study Guide and Exam Preparation

Lymphatic,./,Immune,./,and./,Comprehensive./,System./,Pathologies./,Ban
k


Course./,Code:./,D236
Course./,Name:./,Pathophysiology
Topic:./,Lymphatic,./,Immune,./,and./,Comprehensive./,System./,Pathologies./,B
ank
Academic./,Year:./,2026/2027




1../,What./,are./,the./,two./,primary./,types./,of./,malignant./,cancers./,of./,the./,lympha
tic./,system./,that./,can./,physically./,block./,drainage./,and./,interfere./,with./,norma
l./,lymph./,flow?
A../,Cutaneous./,vasculitis./,and./,melanoma
B../,Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,and./,Non-Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma
C../,Burkitt./,lymphoma./,and./,acute./,myeloid./,leukemia
D../,Acoustic./,neuroma./,and./,vestibular./,schwannoma
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,and./,Non-
Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,are./,the./,two./,primary./,diagnostic./,categories./,of./,ma
lignant./,lymphomas,./,which./,represent./,cancers./,of./,lymphocytes./,residing./,i
n./,the./,lymphatic./,vessels./,or./,nodes../,As./,these./,malignant./,cells./,proliferate./,r
apidly./,within./,the./,lymph./,nodes,./,they./,cause./,structural./,architectural./,disto

,rtion,./,which./,can./,block./,lymphatic./,ducts./,and./,disrupt./,the./,physiological./,fl
ow./,of./,lymph./,fluid.
2../,A./,patient./,presents./,with./,persistent./,fatigue,./,night./,sweats,./,unexplained.
/,weight./,loss,./,and./,localized./,lymph./,node./,pain./,after./,drinking./,alcohol../,W


hich./,condition./,is./,suspected?
A../,Non-Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma
B../,Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma
C../,Acute./,inflammatory./,lymphadenitis
D../,Secondary./,lymphedema
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,presents./,with./,painless./,lympha
denopathy,./,persistent./,fatigue,./,fever,./,night./,sweats,./,and./,unexplained./,wei
ght./,loss./,(B./,symptoms)../,A./,classic,./,highly./,specific./,diagnostic./,sign./,for./,H
odgkin's./,lymphoma./,is./,pain./,in./,the./,affected./,lymph./,nodes./,after./,drinking./,
alcohol../,It./,may./,also./,present./,with./,electrolyte./,imbalances./,causing./,muscl
e./,weakness./,and./,palpitations../,Non-
Hodgkin's./,lymphoma./,lacks./,this./,specific./,alcohol-
induced./,pain./,phenomenon.
3../,Which./,definitive./,histopathological./,finding./,differentiates./,Non-
Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,from./,Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma?
A../,The./,presence./,of./,multinucleated./,Reed-Sternberg./,cells./,on./,biopsy.
B../,The./,absolute./,absence./,of./,abnormal./,Reed-
Sternberg./,cells./,on./,lymph./,node./,biopsy.
C../,Widespread./,infiltration./,of./,the./,tissue./,by./,Borrelia./,burgdorferi./,spiroch
etes.

,D../,High./,concentrations./,of./,extracellular./,monosodium./,urate./,crystals.
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Lymphomas./,are./,distinguished./,under./,microscopy./,by./,
cellular./,morphology../,Hodgkin's./,lymphoma./,is./,defined./,by./,the./,presence./,
of./,giant,./,multinucleated./,B-cell./,derivatives./,called./,Reed-
Sternberg./,cells../,Conversely,./,Non-
Hodgkin's./,Lymphoma./,does./,not./,have./,these./,specific./,abnormal./,cells,./,rep
resenting./,a./,heterogeneous./,group./,of./,malignancies./,that./,arise./,from./,B./,cell
s,./,T./,cells,./,or./,NK./,cells./,without./,the./,Reed-Sternberg./,template.
4../,What./,is./,the./,precise./,medical./,definition./,of./,lymphedema,./,and./,what./,is./,
a./,common./,mechanical./,cause?
A../,An./,acute./,viral./,infection./,of./,the./,external./,ear./,canal.
B../,An./,abnormal./,swelling./,or./,accumulation./,of./,interstitial./,fluid./,due./,to./,a./,
mechanical./,blockage./,or./,scar./,tissue./,in./,the./,lymphatic./,system.
C../,Widespread./,vasodilation./,driven./,by./,systemic./,mast./,cell./,degranulation
.
D../,Excessive./,mineral./,reabsorption./,in./,the./,renal./,distal./,tubule.
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Lymphedema./,is./,a./,chronic./,condition./,characterized./,by
./,the./,swelling./,or./,accumulation./,of./,fluid./,due./,to./,a./,blockage./,in./,the./,lympha


tic./,system../,It./,can./,be./,caused./,by./,scar./,tissue./,from./,damaged./,lymph./,vessel
s./,or./,lymph./,nodes,./,which./,prevents./,normal./,interstitial./,fluid./,clearance../,T
his./,is./,often./,seen./,in./,patients./,who./,have./,had./,their./,lymph./,nodes./,removed./
,during./,surgery./,or./,damaged./,by./,radiation./,for./,cancer./,therapy.



5../,What./,is./,the./,correct./,medical./,term./,for./,an./,enlargement./,in./,one./,or./,more
./,lymph./,nodes./,usually./,due./,to./,a./,direct./,local./,infection?

, A../,Lymphedema
B../,Lymphadenitis
C../,Lymphadenopathy
D../,Lymphoma
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Lymphadenitis./,is./,the./,medical./,term./,for./,enlargement./,i
n./,one./,or./,more./,lymph./,nodes./,usually./,due./,to./,an./,infection../,Unlike./,genera
l./,non-
inflammatory./,node./,enlargement,./,lymphadenitis./,involves./,direct./,invasio
n./,of./,the./,node./,by./,pathogens./,(such./,as./,bacteria./,or./,viruses),./,resulting./,in./,a
cute./,local./,inflammation,./,warmth,./,severe./,tenderness,./,and./,potentially./,ab
scess./,formation./,within./,the./,node.
6../,A./,provider./,documents./,that./,a./,patient./,has./,palpable,./,tender,./,and./,enlar
ged./,nodes./,that./,are./,filled./,with./,white./,blood./,cells../,What./,is./,the./,general./,d
escriptive./,term./,for./,this./,lymph./,node./,enlargement?
A../,Lymphedema
B../,Lymphadenopathy
C../,Fibroma
D../,Sclerosis
�./,CORRECT./,ANSWER:./,B
�./,RATIONALE:./,Lymphadenopathy./,is./,a./,broad./,descriptive./,term./,for./,an
y./,disease,./,abnormality,./,or./,enlargement./,of./,the./,lymph./,nodes,./,making./,th
em./,palpable./,and./,tender../,This./,happens./,when./,lymph./,nodes./,are./,filled./,wi
th./,white./,blood./,cells./,that./,help./,the./,body./,fight./,infections./,or./,when./,they./,a
re./,infiltrated./,by./,neoplastic./,cells.