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 junior clinician must explain to a patient why an injury
described as “medial to the femur” predicts involvement of
structures near the knee joint rather than the lateral thigh.
Using anatomical concepts, which interpretation best links the
directional term to likely structures affected?
A. The descriptor locates the injury toward the midline,
implicating tissues such as the pes anserinus and medial
collateral ligament near the knee.
B. The descriptor indicates the injury is toward the body’s
posterior aspect, implicating the popliteal fossa contents.
C. The injury is toward the limb’s distal end, indicating tibial or
fibular shaft structures.
D. The term refers to a superficial location, implicating only skin
,and subcutaneous tissue.
Correct answer: A
Correct Answer Rationale (3–4 sentences):
“Medial” means toward the midline of the body; on the
thigh/femur this points toward the inner aspect of the knee
where the pes anserinus insertion and medial collateral
ligament reside. This links directional terminology to specific
anatomical structures at the knee. Gray’s emphasizes using
standard anatomical directions to predict structure
relationships.
Incorrect Answer Rationales:
B. “Posterior” (not medial) would implicate popliteal fossa
structures; medial does not imply posterior.
C. “Distal” denotes position along an extremity away from the
trunk — not equivalent to medial.
D. Directional terms (medial) do not specify depth; medial can
be deep or superficial.
Teaching Point: Directional terms predict where (not depth)
structures lie relative to the midline.
Citation: Drake, R. L. (2024). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (5th
Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Body — Levels of organization / What is
anatomy?
,Stem: A researcher studying loss of coordinated muscle
contraction after a spinal cord lesion must choose the most
appropriate level of anatomical analysis to explain the
functional deficit. Which level best links cellular injury to
impaired whole-limb movement?
A. Organ system level (musculoskeletal system) explaining joint
motion alteration.
B. Tissue level (nervous tissue) describing disrupted nerve
impulse propagation.
C. Cellular level (motor neuron cell bodies and axons) explaining
loss of signal to muscle fibers.
D. Organ level (spinal cord as an organ) focusing on altered
blood supply.
Correct answer: C
Correct Answer Rationale (3–4 sentences):
To connect cellular injury to loss of contraction, the cellular
level — specifically motor neuron cell bodies and axons — is
most informative because action potentials originate and fail at
that level. While organ and tissue levels are relevant, cellular
pathology directly explains signal generation/propagation
failure leading to impaired muscle activation. Gray’s frames
levels of organization from cellular to system to show how
function emerges and is lost.
Incorrect Answer Rationales:
A. Organ system level is too broad to explain how a lesion
prevents action potentials at motor endplates.
, B. Tissue level is closer but less precise than the cellular level for
explaining neuron-specific signal failure.
D. Organ-level focus on blood supply could explain ischemia but
not directly the neuronal signal loss described.
Teaching Point: Cell-level pathology often explains functional
failure before system-level signs appear.
Citation: Drake, R. L. (2024). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (5th
Ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Body — Anatomical position and planes
Stem: A trauma CT scan is described as reconstructed in the
axial plane. The radiologist tells you a transverse fracture
appears on axial images as a short, horizontal lucency across
bone. Which statement best explains how the axial plane
frames anatomical relationships?
A. The axial plane divides body into anterior and posterior
parts, so fractures are seen in relation to front/back structures.
B. The axial (transverse) plane divides body into superior and
inferior parts, allowing assessment of cross-sectional
relationships at a given level.
C. The axial plane is parallel to the long axis of a limb, ideal for
imaging long bone length.
D. The axial plane divides the body into left and right, so lateral
relationships are most obvious.
Correct answer: B
5TH EDITION
• AUTHOR(S)RICHARD L. DRAKE
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Body — What is anatomy?
Stem: A junior clinician must explain to a patient why an injury
described as “medial to the femur” predicts involvement of
structures near the knee joint rather than the lateral thigh.
Using anatomical concepts, which interpretation best links the
directional term to likely structures affected?
A. The descriptor locates the injury toward the midline,
implicating tissues such as the pes anserinus and medial
collateral ligament near the knee.
B. The descriptor indicates the injury is toward the body’s
posterior aspect, implicating the popliteal fossa contents.
C. The injury is toward the limb’s distal end, indicating tibial or
fibular shaft structures.
D. The term refers to a superficial location, implicating only skin
,and subcutaneous tissue.
Correct answer: A
Correct Answer Rationale (3–4 sentences):
“Medial” means toward the midline of the body; on the
thigh/femur this points toward the inner aspect of the knee
where the pes anserinus insertion and medial collateral
ligament reside. This links directional terminology to specific
anatomical structures at the knee. Gray’s emphasizes using
standard anatomical directions to predict structure
relationships.
Incorrect Answer Rationales:
B. “Posterior” (not medial) would implicate popliteal fossa
structures; medial does not imply posterior.
C. “Distal” denotes position along an extremity away from the
trunk — not equivalent to medial.
D. Directional terms (medial) do not specify depth; medial can
be deep or superficial.
Teaching Point: Directional terms predict where (not depth)
structures lie relative to the midline.
Citation: Drake, R. L. (2024). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (5th
Ed.). Ch. 1.
2
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Body — Levels of organization / What is
anatomy?
,Stem: A researcher studying loss of coordinated muscle
contraction after a spinal cord lesion must choose the most
appropriate level of anatomical analysis to explain the
functional deficit. Which level best links cellular injury to
impaired whole-limb movement?
A. Organ system level (musculoskeletal system) explaining joint
motion alteration.
B. Tissue level (nervous tissue) describing disrupted nerve
impulse propagation.
C. Cellular level (motor neuron cell bodies and axons) explaining
loss of signal to muscle fibers.
D. Organ level (spinal cord as an organ) focusing on altered
blood supply.
Correct answer: C
Correct Answer Rationale (3–4 sentences):
To connect cellular injury to loss of contraction, the cellular
level — specifically motor neuron cell bodies and axons — is
most informative because action potentials originate and fail at
that level. While organ and tissue levels are relevant, cellular
pathology directly explains signal generation/propagation
failure leading to impaired muscle activation. Gray’s frames
levels of organization from cellular to system to show how
function emerges and is lost.
Incorrect Answer Rationales:
A. Organ system level is too broad to explain how a lesion
prevents action potentials at motor endplates.
, B. Tissue level is closer but less precise than the cellular level for
explaining neuron-specific signal failure.
D. Organ-level focus on blood supply could explain ischemia but
not directly the neuronal signal loss described.
Teaching Point: Cell-level pathology often explains functional
failure before system-level signs appear.
Citation: Drake, R. L. (2024). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (5th
Ed.). Ch. 1.
3
Reference: Ch. 1 — The Body — Anatomical position and planes
Stem: A trauma CT scan is described as reconstructed in the
axial plane. The radiologist tells you a transverse fracture
appears on axial images as a short, horizontal lucency across
bone. Which statement best explains how the axial plane
frames anatomical relationships?
A. The axial plane divides body into anterior and posterior
parts, so fractures are seen in relation to front/back structures.
B. The axial (transverse) plane divides body into superior and
inferior parts, allowing assessment of cross-sectional
relationships at a given level.
C. The axial plane is parallel to the long axis of a limb, ideal for
imaging long bone length.
D. The axial plane divides the body into left and right, so lateral
relationships are most obvious.
Correct answer: B
