Chest imaging: 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 imaging

Sample item

A 60-year-old man has progressive dyspnoea and dry cough with fine bibasal crackles. HRCT shows subpleural, basal-predominant reticulation with honeycombing and traction bronchiectasis. Which pattern is this?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Usual interstitial pneumonia

A usual interstitial pneumonia pattern comprises basal and subpleural reticulation with honeycombing and traction bronchiectasis, with little ground glass. It is the HRCT hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis when no cause is found. Honeycombing is the key distinguishing feature.

Option by option

  • A. Miliary tuberculosis

    Miliary tuberculosis shows innumerable tiny randomly distributed nodules.

  • B. Usual interstitial pneumonia (correct)

    Correct. Subpleural basal honeycombing is the UIP pattern.

  • C. Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with ground-glass change only

    Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia is dominated by ground-glass opacities with little honeycombing.

  • D. Sarcoidosis with perilymphatic nodules

    Sarcoidosis shows perilymphatic nodules and upper-zone predominance with hilar nodes.

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 Radiology questions

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is B, Usual interstitial pneumonia. A usual interstitial pneumonia pattern comprises basal and subpleural reticulation with honeycombing and traction bronchiectasis, with little ground glass.

Why is "Miliary tuberculosis" not the answer?

Miliary tuberculosis shows innumerable tiny randomly distributed nodules.

Why is "Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with ground-glass change only" not the answer?

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia is dominated by ground-glass opacities with little honeycombing.

Why is "Sarcoidosis with perilymphatic nodules" not the answer?

Sarcoidosis shows perilymphatic nodules and upper-zone predominance with hilar nodes.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Chest imaging in Radiology. It is the HRCT hallmark of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis when no cause is found. Honeycombing is the key distinguishing feature.

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 Chest imaging?

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.