Head and neck: Kikuchi disease: practice question

A ENT question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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ENT · Head and neck: Kikuchi disease

Sample item

A 24-year-old Asian woman has fever and tender cervical lymph nodes for 3 weeks. Biopsy shows paracortical necrosis with abundant histiocytes and no neutrophils. What is the diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a benign self-limited necrotising histiocytic lymphadenitis that affects young women, with fever and tender cervical nodes. Histology shows karyorrhexis without neutrophils or granulomas. It is associated with later development of lupus in some patients.

Option by option

  • A. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (correct)

    Correct. Histiocytic necrotising lymphadenitis without neutrophils is characteristic.

  • B. Cat scratch disease

    Cat scratch disease shows stellate necrotising granulomas with neutrophils.

  • C. Hodgkin lymphoma

    Hodgkin lymphoma shows Reed-Sternberg cells.

  • D. Tuberculous lymphadenitis

    Tuberculosis shows caseating granulomas.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease is a benign self-limited necrotising histiocytic lymphadenitis that affects young women, with fever and tender cervical nodes.

Why is "Cat scratch disease" not the answer?

Cat scratch disease shows stellate necrotising granulomas with neutrophils.

Why is "Hodgkin lymphoma" not the answer?

Hodgkin lymphoma shows Reed-Sternberg cells.

Why is "Tuberculous lymphadenitis" not the answer?

Tuberculosis shows caseating granulomas.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck: Kikuchi disease in ENT. Histology shows karyorrhexis without neutrophils or granulomas. It is associated with later development of lupus in some patients.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Head and neck: Kikuchi disease?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.