Thanatology: rigor of the heart: 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 · Thanatology: rigor of the heart

Sample item

At autopsy about 6 hours after death, a man killed in an assault shows a firm, thick-walled left ventricle with an empty cavity. The heart weight is normal and the coronary arteries are healthy. A trainee reports left ventricular hypertrophy. What explains the finding?

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Rigor mortis of the myocardium, which contracts the ventricle and expels its blood

Rigor mortis affects the myocardium as well as skeletal muscle. The left ventricle, being the thickest chamber, contracts and squeezes out its blood, giving a firm, thick-walled, empty chamber that can be mistaken for hypertrophy. A normal heart weight and a healthy coronary tree help to separate this from true hypertrophy.

Option by option

  • A. Cadaveric spasm of the myocardium from terror at the moment of death

    Cadaveric spasm involves voluntary muscle of the last act, not the heart.

  • B. Heat stiffening from coagulation of cardiac proteins

    Heat stiffening needs exposure to heat, which is not described.

  • C. A post-mortem clot filling the ventricular cavity

    A clot would fill the cavity and would not leave it empty.

  • D. Rigor mortis of the myocardium, which contracts the ventricle and expels its blood (correct)

    Correct. Cardiac rigor contracts the ventricle and makes the wall look thickened.

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 Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is D, Rigor mortis of the myocardium, which contracts the ventricle and expels its blood. Rigor mortis affects the myocardium as well as skeletal muscle.

Why is "Cadaveric spasm of the myocardium from terror at the moment of death" not the answer?

Cadaveric spasm involves voluntary muscle of the last act, not the heart.

Why is "Heat stiffening from coagulation of cardiac proteins" not the answer?

Heat stiffening needs exposure to heat, which is not described.

Why is "A post-mortem clot filling the ventricular cavity" not the answer?

A clot would fill the cavity and would not leave it empty.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Thanatology: rigor of the heart in Forensic Medicine. The left ventricle, being the thickest chamber, contracts and squeezes out its blood, giving a firm, thick-walled, empty chamber that can be mistaken for hypertrophy. A normal heart weight and a healthy coronary tree help to separate this from true hypertrophy.

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 Thanatology: rigor of the heart?

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.