Respiratory: bronchopneumonia: practice question

A Pathology 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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Pathology · Respiratory: bronchopneumonia

Sample item

A 78-year-old bedridden man after a stroke develops fever and purulent sputum. A chest radiograph shows patchy opacities in both lower zones. At autopsy, what is the characteristic pattern of consolidation?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Patchy foci of neutrophil-rich exudate centred on bronchi and bronchioles

Bronchopneumonia begins in the airways and spreads to adjacent alveoli, producing patchy, often multilobar and bilateral suppurative foci, mostly in dependent lower lobes. It is common at the extremes of age, in debilitated patients and after aspiration. Lobar pneumonia, by contrast, fills a whole lobe homogeneously.

Option by option

  • A. Patchy foci of neutrophil-rich exudate centred on bronchi and bronchioles (correct)

    Correct. Airway-centred patchy suppuration is the defining pattern.

  • B. Uniform consolidation of an entire lobe with a fibrin-rich exudate

    Homogeneous lobar consolidation describes lobar pneumonia, typically from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

  • C. Interstitial lymphocytic infiltrate with widened alveolar septa and clear alveoli

    Interstitial lymphocytic infiltrates describe atypical or viral pneumonia.

  • D. Hyaline membranes lining alveolar walls with diffuse oedema

    Hyaline membranes with diffuse alveolar damage describe ARDS.

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.

More Pathology questions

Questions about this Pathology question

What is the answer to this Pathology question?

The best answer is A, Patchy foci of neutrophil-rich exudate centred on bronchi and bronchioles. Bronchopneumonia begins in the airways and spreads to adjacent alveoli, producing patchy, often multilobar and bilateral suppurative foci, mostly in dependent lower lobes.

Why is "Uniform consolidation of an entire lobe with a fibrin-rich exudate" not the answer?

Homogeneous lobar consolidation describes lobar pneumonia, typically from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Why is "Interstitial lymphocytic infiltrate with widened alveolar septa and c…" not the answer?

Interstitial lymphocytic infiltrates describe atypical or viral pneumonia.

Why is "Hyaline membranes lining alveolar walls with diffuse oedema" not the answer?

Hyaline membranes with diffuse alveolar damage describe ARDS.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Respiratory: bronchopneumonia in Pathology. It is common at the extremes of age, in debilitated patients and after aspiration. Lobar pneumonia, by contrast, fills a whole lobe homogeneously.

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 Respiratory: bronchopneumonia?

Learn each disease as a bundle: cause, key histology, markers, and the clinical hallmark. Then use the flashcards and the other Pathology 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.