PATHOLOGY - EXAM 1 PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS | 2025/2026 NEW UPDATE | WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS!!
.
Draw the following cells:
A: Normal
B: Atrophy
C: Hyperplasia
D: Hypertrophy
E: Metaplasia
F: Dysplasia Answer -
A 53-year-old woman with no prior illnesses has a routine checkup by her
physician. On examination she has a blood pressure of 150/95 mm Hg. If her
hypertension remains untreated for years, which of the following cellular
alterations would most likely be seen in her myocardium?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Fatty change
D Hemosiderosis
E Hyperplasia
,F Hypertrophy
G Metaplasia Answer - Answer: F
Reasoning: The pressure load on the left ventricle results in an increase in
myofilaments in the existing myofibers, so they enlarge. The result of continued
stress from hypertension is eventual heart failure with decreased contractility.
Extended reasoning: Apoptosis would lead to loss of cells and diminished size.
Dysplasia is not a diagnosis made for the heart. Hemosiderin deposition in the
heart is a pathologic process resulting from increased iron stores in the body.
Though hyperplasia from proliferation of myofibroblasts is possible, this does
not contribute significantly to cardiac size. Metaplasia of muscle does not
occur, although loss of muscle occurs with aging and ischemia as myofibers are
replaced by fibrous tissue.
A 16-year-old boy sustained blunt trauma to his abdomen when he struck a
bridge abutment at high speed while driving a motor vehicle. Peritoneal lavage
shows a hemoperitoneum, and at laparotomy, a small portion of the left lobe
of the injured liver is removed. Two months later, a CT scan of the abdomen
shows that the liver has nearly regained its size before the injury. Which of the
following processes best explains this CT scan finding?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Hyperplasia
D Hydropic change
E Steatosis Answer - Answer: C
Reasoning: The liver is one of the few organs in the human body that can
partially regenerate. This is a form of compensatory hyperplasia. The stimuli to
hepatocyte mitotic activity cease
when the liver has attained its normal size.
Extended reasoning: Hepatocytes can reenter the cell cycle and proliferate to
regenerate the liver; they do not just hypertrophy (increase in size). Apoptosis
is single cell death and frequently occurs with viral hepatitis. Dysplasia is
disordered epithelial cell growth that can be premalignant. Hydropic change, or
,cell swelling, does not produce regeneration. Steatosis (fatty change) can lead
to hepatomegaly, but not as a regenerative process. It is the result of
toxic/metabolic hepatocyte injury.
A 71-year-old man has had difficulty with urination, including hesitancy and
increased frequency, for the past 5 years. A digital rectal examination reveals
that his prostate gland is palpably enlarged to twice normal size. A
transurethral resection of the prostate is performed, and the microscopic
appearance of the prostate "chips" obtained is that of nodules of glands with
intervening stroma. Which of the following pathologic processes has most
likely occurred in his prostate?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Fatty change
D Hyperplasia
E Hypertrophy
F Metaplasia Answer - Answer: D
Reasoning: BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)! Nodular prostatic hyperplasia
(also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]) is a common condition in
older men that results from proliferation of both prostatic glands and stroma.
The prostate becomes more sensitive to androgenic stimulation with age. This
is an example of pathologic hyperplasia.
Extended reasoning: Apoptosis results in a loss of, not an increase in, cells.
Dysplasia refers to disordered epithelial cell growth and maturation. Fatty
change in hepatocytes may produce hepatomegaly. Although BPH is often
called "benign prostatic hypertrophy," this term is technically incorrect; it is the
number of glands and stromal cells that is increased, rather than the size of
existing cells. A change in the glandular epithelium to squamous epithelium
around a prostatic infarct would be an example of metaplasia.
A 29-year-old man sustains a left femoral fracture in a motorcycle accident. His
leg is placed in a plaster cast. After his left leg has been immobilized for 6
, weeks, the diameter of the left calf has decreased in size. This change in size is
most likely to result from which of the following alterations in his calf muscles?
A Aplasia
B Atrophy
C Dystrophy
D Hyalinosis
E Hypoplasia Answer - .
Answer: B
Reasoning: Reduced workload causes cell to shrink through loss of cell
substance, a process called atrophy. The cells are still present, just smaller.
Extended reasoning: Aplasia refers to lack of embryonic development;
hypoplasia describes poor or subnormal development of tissues. Dystrophy of
muscles refers to inherited disorders of skeletal muscles that lead to muscle
fiber destruction, weakness, and wasting. Hyaline change (hyalinosis) refers to
a nonspecific, pink, glassy eosinophilic appearance of cells.
A 34-year-old obese woman has experienced heartburn from gastric reflux for
the past 5 years after eating large meals. She undergoes upper gastrointestinal
endoscopy, and a biopsy specimen of the distal esophagus is obtained. Which
of the following microscopic changes, seen in the figure, has most likely
occurred?
A Columnar metaplasia
B Goblet cell hyperplasia
C Lamina propria atrophy
D Squamous dysplasia
E Mucosal hypertrophy Answer - .
.
.
.
ANSWERS | 2025/2026 NEW UPDATE | WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS!!
.
Draw the following cells:
A: Normal
B: Atrophy
C: Hyperplasia
D: Hypertrophy
E: Metaplasia
F: Dysplasia Answer -
A 53-year-old woman with no prior illnesses has a routine checkup by her
physician. On examination she has a blood pressure of 150/95 mm Hg. If her
hypertension remains untreated for years, which of the following cellular
alterations would most likely be seen in her myocardium?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Fatty change
D Hemosiderosis
E Hyperplasia
,F Hypertrophy
G Metaplasia Answer - Answer: F
Reasoning: The pressure load on the left ventricle results in an increase in
myofilaments in the existing myofibers, so they enlarge. The result of continued
stress from hypertension is eventual heart failure with decreased contractility.
Extended reasoning: Apoptosis would lead to loss of cells and diminished size.
Dysplasia is not a diagnosis made for the heart. Hemosiderin deposition in the
heart is a pathologic process resulting from increased iron stores in the body.
Though hyperplasia from proliferation of myofibroblasts is possible, this does
not contribute significantly to cardiac size. Metaplasia of muscle does not
occur, although loss of muscle occurs with aging and ischemia as myofibers are
replaced by fibrous tissue.
A 16-year-old boy sustained blunt trauma to his abdomen when he struck a
bridge abutment at high speed while driving a motor vehicle. Peritoneal lavage
shows a hemoperitoneum, and at laparotomy, a small portion of the left lobe
of the injured liver is removed. Two months later, a CT scan of the abdomen
shows that the liver has nearly regained its size before the injury. Which of the
following processes best explains this CT scan finding?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Hyperplasia
D Hydropic change
E Steatosis Answer - Answer: C
Reasoning: The liver is one of the few organs in the human body that can
partially regenerate. This is a form of compensatory hyperplasia. The stimuli to
hepatocyte mitotic activity cease
when the liver has attained its normal size.
Extended reasoning: Hepatocytes can reenter the cell cycle and proliferate to
regenerate the liver; they do not just hypertrophy (increase in size). Apoptosis
is single cell death and frequently occurs with viral hepatitis. Dysplasia is
disordered epithelial cell growth that can be premalignant. Hydropic change, or
,cell swelling, does not produce regeneration. Steatosis (fatty change) can lead
to hepatomegaly, but not as a regenerative process. It is the result of
toxic/metabolic hepatocyte injury.
A 71-year-old man has had difficulty with urination, including hesitancy and
increased frequency, for the past 5 years. A digital rectal examination reveals
that his prostate gland is palpably enlarged to twice normal size. A
transurethral resection of the prostate is performed, and the microscopic
appearance of the prostate "chips" obtained is that of nodules of glands with
intervening stroma. Which of the following pathologic processes has most
likely occurred in his prostate?
A Apoptosis
B Dysplasia
C Fatty change
D Hyperplasia
E Hypertrophy
F Metaplasia Answer - Answer: D
Reasoning: BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)! Nodular prostatic hyperplasia
(also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]) is a common condition in
older men that results from proliferation of both prostatic glands and stroma.
The prostate becomes more sensitive to androgenic stimulation with age. This
is an example of pathologic hyperplasia.
Extended reasoning: Apoptosis results in a loss of, not an increase in, cells.
Dysplasia refers to disordered epithelial cell growth and maturation. Fatty
change in hepatocytes may produce hepatomegaly. Although BPH is often
called "benign prostatic hypertrophy," this term is technically incorrect; it is the
number of glands and stromal cells that is increased, rather than the size of
existing cells. A change in the glandular epithelium to squamous epithelium
around a prostatic infarct would be an example of metaplasia.
A 29-year-old man sustains a left femoral fracture in a motorcycle accident. His
leg is placed in a plaster cast. After his left leg has been immobilized for 6
, weeks, the diameter of the left calf has decreased in size. This change in size is
most likely to result from which of the following alterations in his calf muscles?
A Aplasia
B Atrophy
C Dystrophy
D Hyalinosis
E Hypoplasia Answer - .
Answer: B
Reasoning: Reduced workload causes cell to shrink through loss of cell
substance, a process called atrophy. The cells are still present, just smaller.
Extended reasoning: Aplasia refers to lack of embryonic development;
hypoplasia describes poor or subnormal development of tissues. Dystrophy of
muscles refers to inherited disorders of skeletal muscles that lead to muscle
fiber destruction, weakness, and wasting. Hyaline change (hyalinosis) refers to
a nonspecific, pink, glassy eosinophilic appearance of cells.
A 34-year-old obese woman has experienced heartburn from gastric reflux for
the past 5 years after eating large meals. She undergoes upper gastrointestinal
endoscopy, and a biopsy specimen of the distal esophagus is obtained. Which
of the following microscopic changes, seen in the figure, has most likely
occurred?
A Columnar metaplasia
B Goblet cell hyperplasia
C Lamina propria atrophy
D Squamous dysplasia
E Mucosal hypertrophy Answer - .
.
.
.
