Identification: tattoo marks: practice question

A Forensic Medicine 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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Forensic Medicine · Identification: tattoo marks

Sample item

A man who is a suspect in a robbery had a distinctive tattoo removed from his forearm by laser a year ago. A witness had described the tattoo. How can the forensic expert still support its former presence?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Find tattoo pigment in the regional (axillary) lymph nodes on biopsy

Tattoo pigment is deposited in the dermis and is taken up by macrophages, some of which drain to regional lymph nodes. Removal of the skin picture does not remove this pigment, so nodal pigment may show that a tattoo existed. Pigment in the epidermis is shed with the outer layers.

Option by option

  • A. Test urine for the dye

    Tattoo dyes are not excreted in a detectable form in urine.

  • B. Examine the nail beds for the colour

    Nail beds do not receive tattoo pigment.

  • C. Find pigment in the epidermis, which never clears

    Pigment lies in the dermis, not the epidermis, and epidermal cells are shed.

  • D. Find tattoo pigment in the regional (axillary) lymph nodes on biopsy (correct)

    Correct. Regional nodes retain phagocytosed pigment even after the skin image is removed.

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 Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Find tattoo pigment in the regional (axillary) lymph nodes on biopsy. Tattoo pigment is deposited in the dermis and is taken up by macrophages, some of which drain to regional lymph nodes.

Why is "Test urine for the dye" not the answer?

Tattoo dyes are not excreted in a detectable form in urine.

Why is "Examine the nail beds for the colour" not the answer?

Nail beds do not receive tattoo pigment.

Why is "Find pigment in the epidermis, which never clears" not the answer?

Pigment lies in the dermis, not the epidermis, and epidermal cells are shed.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Identification: tattoo marks in Forensic Medicine. Removal of the skin picture does not remove this pigment, so nodal pigment may show that a tattoo existed. Pigment in the epidermis is shed with the outer layers.

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 Identification: tattoo marks?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine 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.