Abdomen and pelvis: cisterna chyli: 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 · Abdomen and pelvis: cisterna chyli

Sample item

After retroperitoneal surgery near the right crus of the diaphragm at L1-L2, a man develops milky ascites. A dilated lymphatic sac lies here, receiving the lumbar and intestinal trunks and giving rise to the thoracic duct. What is this sac?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Cisterna chyli

The cisterna chyli is the lower, dilated beginning of the thoracic duct, at about L1-L2 behind the right side of the abdominal aorta, receiving the intestinal and lumbar lymph trunks. Injury during retroperitoneal dissection can cause chylous ascites.

Option by option

  • A. Cisterna chyli (correct)

    Correct. It is the sac that receives the lumbar and intestinal trunks to start the thoracic duct.

  • B. Subcarinal node

    Subcarinal nodes lie in the middle mediastinum below the tracheal bifurcation.

  • C. Right lymphatic duct

    This short duct drains the right upper body into the venous junction at the neck.

  • D. Retrocrural node

    Lymph nodes behind the crus are chains of nodes, not a collecting sac giving rise to the thoracic duct.

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 A, Cisterna chyli. The cisterna chyli is the lower, dilated beginning of the thoracic duct, at about L1-L2 behind the right side of the abdominal aorta, receiving the intestinal and lumbar lymph trunks.

Why is "Subcarinal node" not the answer?

Subcarinal nodes lie in the middle mediastinum below the tracheal bifurcation.

Why is "Right lymphatic duct" not the answer?

This short duct drains the right upper body into the venous junction at the neck.

Why is "Retrocrural node" not the answer?

Lymph nodes behind the crus are chains of nodes, not a collecting sac giving rise to the thoracic duct.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Abdomen and pelvis: cisterna chyli in Anatomy. Injury during retroperitoneal dissection can cause chylous ascites.

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 Abdomen and pelvis: cisterna chyli?

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.