Thorax: bronchopulmonary segments: practice question

A Anatomy 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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Anatomy · Thorax: bronchopulmonary segments

Sample item

A 7-year-old child who was sitting upright while eating peanuts inhales one and later develops pneumonia confined to the right lower lobe. Into which segment is the foreign body most likely to have entered?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Posterior basal segment

Material aspirated in the upright posture falls by gravity into the posterior basal segment of the lower lobe, the most dependent part of the bronchial tree. In the supine position the superior (apical) segment of the lower lobe, or the posterior segment of the upper lobe, is favoured.

Option by option

  • A. Superior (apical) segment

    The superior segment is the most dependent lower lobe segment in the supine, not the upright, position.

  • B. Medial basal segment

    The medial basal segment lies against the mediastinum and is not the most dependent segment when upright.

  • C. Posterior basal segment (correct)

    Correct. Gravity directs inhaled material to the posterior basal segment in the upright position.

  • D. Anterior basal segment

    The anterior basal segment is not the most dependent segment when the child is upright.

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 Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is C, Posterior basal segment. Material aspirated in the upright posture falls by gravity into the posterior basal segment of the lower lobe, the most dependent part of the bronchial tree.

Why is "Superior (apical) segment" not the answer?

The superior segment is the most dependent lower lobe segment in the supine, not the upright, position.

Why is "Medial basal segment" not the answer?

The medial basal segment lies against the mediastinum and is not the most dependent segment when upright.

Why is "Anterior basal segment" not the answer?

The anterior basal segment is not the most dependent segment when the child is upright.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Thorax: bronchopulmonary segments in Anatomy. In the supine position the superior (apical) segment of the lower lobe, or the posterior segment of the upper lobe, is favoured.

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 Thorax: bronchopulmonary segments?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy 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.