Genetic bone disorders: osteopoikilosis: practice question

A Orthopaedics 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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Orthopaedics · Genetic bone disorders: osteopoikilosis

Sample item

Radiographs of a 30-year-old taken for knee pain after a fall show multiple small, round, uniform sclerotic foci clustered around the knee and hip epiphyses. He has no symptoms from them. What is the right approach?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Recognise osteopoikilosis, a benign condition, and take no action

Osteopoikilosis is a benign sclerosing bone dysplasia caused by LEMD3 mutation, with multiple small round bone islands in the epiphyses and metaphyses. It is asymptomatic and found incidentally. Its importance lies in not mistaking it for osteoblastic metastases.

Option by option

  • A. Start chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy has no role in this benign condition.

  • B. Biopsy each lesion

    Biopsy of each lesion is unnecessary.

  • C. Treat as multiple metastases from prostate cancer

    Metastases are irregular and vary in size and distribution.

  • D. Recognise osteopoikilosis, a benign condition, and take no action (correct)

    Correct. Multiple uniform small sclerotic foci in the epiphyses are benign osteopoikilosis.

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 Orthopaedics question

What is the answer to this Orthopaedics question?

The best answer is D, Recognise osteopoikilosis, a benign condition, and take no action. Osteopoikilosis is a benign sclerosing bone dysplasia caused by LEMD3 mutation, with multiple small round bone islands in the epiphyses and metaphyses.

Why is "Start chemotherapy" not the answer?

Chemotherapy has no role in this benign condition.

Why is "Biopsy each lesion" not the answer?

Biopsy of each lesion is unnecessary.

Why is "Treat as multiple metastases from prostate cancer" not the answer?

Metastases are irregular and vary in size and distribution.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Genetic bone disorders: osteopoikilosis in Orthopaedics. It is asymptomatic and found incidentally. Its importance lies in not mistaking it for osteoblastic metastases.

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 Genetic bone disorders: osteopoikilosis?

Pair each fracture with its classic complication and nerve injured. Then use the flashcards and the other Orthopaedics 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.