Breast: fat necrosis: practice question

A General Surgery 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.

Try it

General Surgery · Breast: fat necrosis

Sample item

A 50-year-old woman has a firm, irregular breast lump with skin tethering three months after a blow to the breast. Imaging looks suspicious. What does biopsy most likely show?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Fat necrosis with foamy macrophages and giant cells

Fat necrosis follows trauma or surgery and can mimic carcinoma clinically and on mammography, with skin retraction and calcification. Histology shows lipid-laden macrophages, giant cells and fibrosis. Biopsy is required to exclude malignancy because imaging may be indistinguishable.

Option by option

  • A. Lactational change

    Lactational change is not related to trauma.

  • B. Fat necrosis with foamy macrophages and giant cells (correct)

    Correct. Foamy macrophages and giant cells characterise fat necrosis.

  • C. Phyllodes tumour

    Phyllodes tumour is a fast-growing stromal tumour.

  • D. Fibroadenoma

    Fibroadenoma is a mobile lesion in younger women.

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 General Surgery questions

Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is B, Fat necrosis with foamy macrophages and giant cells. Fat necrosis follows trauma or surgery and can mimic carcinoma clinically and on mammography, with skin retraction and calcification.

Why is "Lactational change" not the answer?

Lactational change is not related to trauma.

Why is "Phyllodes tumour" not the answer?

Phyllodes tumour is a fast-growing stromal tumour.

Why is "Fibroadenoma" not the answer?

Fibroadenoma is a mobile lesion in younger women.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Breast: fat necrosis in General Surgery. Histology shows lipid-laden macrophages, giant cells and fibrosis. Biopsy is required to exclude malignancy because imaging may be indistinguishable.

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 Breast: fat necrosis?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery 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.