Gray’s Anatomy for Students 5th Ed Test Bank (2025) — 20 MCQs/Chapter | Verified Answers & Rationales

GRAY'S ANATOMY FOR STUDENTS
5TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)RICHARD L. DRAKE


TEST BANK

1
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Body — What is anatomy?
Stem
A patient arrives with a traumatic stab wound to the anterior
thorax. A surgeon asks for a quick mental map to estimate
whether the injury likely penetrated the pleural cavity versus
remaining in anterior chest wall musculature. Using anatomic
positional relationships, which surface-to-deep order of
structures would most accurately predict penetration from skin
to pleura at the midclavicular line?
Options
A. Skin → Subcutaneous fat → Pectoralis major → External
intercostal → Internal intercostal → Parietal pleura
B. Skin → Subcutaneous fat → External intercostal → Pectoralis

,major → Internal intercostal → Parietal pleura
C. Skin → Subcutaneous fat → Pectoralis major → External
intercostal → Serous visceral pleura → Parietal pleura
D. Skin → Subcutaneous fat → Pectoralis major → Serratus
anterior → Parietal pleura
Correct answer
A
Correct answer rationale (3–4 sentences)
At the anterior chest (midclavicular line) the pectoralis major
lies superficial to the rib cage and intercostal muscles. From
superficial to deep the intercostal layers are external then
internal before the parietal pleura lines the thoracic cavity.
Option A correctly preserves the typical surface-to-deep
sequence, so a penetrating wound passing through pectoralis
major and both intercostal layers would reach the parietal
pleura. This ordering aligns with Gray’s emphasis on surface–
deep anatomical relationships.
Incorrect answer rationales (1–3 sentences each)
B — Reverses pectoralis major and external intercostal
positions; pectoralis major overlies the ribs and intercostals
anteriorly.
C — Places visceral pleura superficial to parietal pleura; visceral
pleura is deep and adherent to lung, not superficial to parietal
pleura.
D — Serratus anterior does not lie directly under pectoralis

,major at the midclavicular anterior chest wall; it is more lateral
and protracts the scapula.
Teaching point (≤20 words)
Anterior chest: pectoralis major → intercostals (external →
internal) → parietal pleura.
Citation
Drake, R. L. (2024). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (5th Ed.). Ch. 1.


2
Reference
Ch. 1 — The Body — Imaging
Stem
A junior clinician must choose an imaging modality for
evaluating a suspected acute intracranial hemorrhage after
head trauma. Given the need to rapidly detect blood, which
modality and image characteristic best supports immediate
diagnosis?
Options
A. Non-contrast CT — acute blood appears hyperdense (bright)
relative to brain parenchyma.
B. T1-weighted MRI — acute blood appears hypointense (dark)
relative to brain parenchyma.
C. Ultrasound — acute intracranial hemorrhage is best
visualized as echogenic fluid collections.

, D. PET scan — acute hemorrhage shows increased radiotracer
uptake.
Correct answer
A
Correct answer rationale (3–4 sentences)
Non-contrast CT is the first-line rapid imaging for suspected
acute intracranial hemorrhage; fresh blood is denser than brain
tissue and appears hyperdense on CT. Gray’s imaging overview
highlights CT’s speed and sensitivity for acute blood due to x-ray
attenuation by hemoglobin. MRI sequences can characterize
blood age but are less practical in the immediate trauma
setting. Ultrasound and PET are not reliable for acute
intracranial hemorrhage diagnosis in adults.
Incorrect answer rationales (1–3 sentences each)
B — MRI can detect blood products but signal characteristics
change over time; T1 is not the rapid first-line test in acute
trauma.
C — Ultrasound cannot image intracranial structures well in
adults because the skull blocks sound.
D — PET measures metabolic activity and is not useful for
detecting acute blood.
Teaching point (≤20 words)
In acute head trauma, non-contrast CT quickly detects
hyperdense fresh hemorrhage.