Obstetric imaging: placental abruption: 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 · Obstetric imaging: placental abruption

Sample item

A pregnant woman in the third trimester has painful vaginal bleeding after a fall. Ultrasound shows a normally sited placenta and no retroplacental collection. What does this negative ultrasound mean in this setting?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. It does not exclude abruption, because ultrasound has low sensitivity

Acute retroplacental haemorrhage may be isoechoic to the placenta and is detected by ultrasound in only a minority of cases, so the diagnosis is clinical. A positive finding supports abruption but a negative one does not exclude it.

Option by option

  • A. It excludes abruption

    A negative scan does not exclude it.

  • B. It confirms placenta praevia

    Praevia is shown by a low-lying placenta.

  • C. It confirms uterine rupture

    Rupture needs different clinical features.

  • D. It does not exclude abruption, because ultrasound has low sensitivity (correct)

    Correct. Ultrasound sensitivity for abruption is low.

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 Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is D, It does not exclude abruption, because ultrasound has low sensitivity. Acute retroplacental haemorrhage may be isoechoic to the placenta and is detected by ultrasound in only a minority of cases, so the diagnosis is clinical.

Why is "It excludes abruption" not the answer?

A negative scan does not exclude it.

Why is "It confirms placenta praevia" not the answer?

Praevia is shown by a low-lying placenta.

Why is "It confirms uterine rupture" not the answer?

Rupture needs different clinical features.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Obstetric imaging: placental abruption in Radiology. A positive finding supports abruption but a negative one does not exclude it.

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 Obstetric imaging: placental abruption?

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.