Chest wall imaging: Poland syndrome: practice question

A Radiology 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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Radiology · Chest wall imaging: Poland syndrome

Sample item

A chest radiograph of a young man shows unilateral hyperlucency of one hemithorax with absent anterior axillary fold, and the lung is otherwise normal. What is the most likely diagnosis?

APoland syndrome with absence of the pectoralis muscleBPulmonary embolismCPneumothoraxDSwyer-James syndrome

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Poland syndrome with absence of the pectoralis muscle

Unilateral absence of pectoralis major makes the hemithorax look more lucent because of less soft tissue, but the lung markings are normal in the area, and the axillary fold is missing. Hand anomalies like syndactyly may occur on the same side.

Option by option

A. Poland syndrome with absence of the pectoralis muscle (correct)
Correct. Chest wall muscle absence causes unilateral hyperlucency with normal lung markings.
B. Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism is not a cause of a missing muscle shadow.
C. Pneumothorax
A pneumothorax shows a visible pleural edge without lung markings.
D. Swyer-James syndrome
Swyer-James syndrome has reduced vessel markings, small lung volume and air trapping.

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 Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is A, Poland syndrome with absence of the pectoralis muscle. Unilateral absence of pectoralis major makes the hemithorax look more lucent because of less soft tissue, but the lung markings are normal in the area, and the axillary fold is missing.

Why is "Pulmonary embolism" not the answer?

Pulmonary embolism is not a cause of a missing muscle shadow.

Why is "Pneumothorax" not the answer?

A pneumothorax shows a visible pleural edge without lung markings.

Why is "Swyer-James syndrome" not the answer?

Swyer-James syndrome has reduced vessel markings, small lung volume and air trapping.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Chest wall imaging: Poland syndrome in Radiology. Hand anomalies like syndactyly may occur on the same side.

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 Chest wall imaging: Poland syndrome?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology 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.