Injuries: age of abrasion: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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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Forensic Medicine · Injuries: age of abrasion

Sample item

A 25-year-old man has a superficial scraped injury on the forearm covered by a reddish-brown dry scab, with no sign of the scab falling off. What is the approximate age of the injury?

A10 to 14 daysBMore than 3 weeksCLess than 12 hoursD2 to 3 days

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. 2 to 3 days

An abrasion first shows a bright red lymph and blood scab within about 12 hours. It darkens to reddish brown at 2 to 3 days. The scab falls off by about 4 to 7 days, leaving a pink area that fades.

Option by option

A. 10 to 14 days
By 10 to 14 days the scab has long since fallen off.
B. More than 3 weeks
At 3 weeks no scab remains.
C. Less than 12 hours
Under 12 hours the scab is bright red and moist.
D. 2 to 3 days (correct)
Reddish-brown scab corresponds to about 2 to 3 days.

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.

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, 2 to 3 days. An abrasion first shows a bright red lymph and blood scab within about 12 hours.

Why is "10 to 14 days" not the answer?

By 10 to 14 days the scab has long since fallen off.

Why is "More than 3 weeks" not the answer?

At 3 weeks no scab remains.

Why is "Less than 12 hours" not the answer?

Under 12 hours the scab is bright red and moist.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries: age of abrasion in Forensic Medicine. It darkens to reddish brown at 2 to 3 days. The scab falls off by about 4 to 7 days, leaving a pink area that fades.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. 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 Injuries: age of abrasion?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.