Head and neck tumours: Madelung disease: practice question

A ENT 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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ENT · Head and neck tumours: Madelung disease

Sample item

A 50-year-old man with heavy alcohol use has symmetric, non-tender fatty swellings around the neck and upper back giving a horse-collar appearance. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis

Madelung disease is benign symmetric lipomatosis, with unencapsulated fat deposits around the neck and shoulders, linked with alcohol misuse. Surgery or liposuction is for cosmetic or compressive problems.

Option by option

  • A. Multiple symmetric lipomatosis (correct)

    Correct. Symmetric non-tender fatty swellings in a drinker indicate Madelung disease.

  • B. Cystic hygroma

    Cystic hygroma is a soft transilluminant swelling in children.

  • C. Thyroid goitre

    A goitre moves on swallowing and is anterior.

  • D. Lymphoma

    Lymphoma presents with firm nodes and systemic symptoms.

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 ENT questions

Questions about this ENT question

What is the answer to this ENT question?

The best answer is A, Multiple symmetric lipomatosis. Madelung disease is benign symmetric lipomatosis, with unencapsulated fat deposits around the neck and shoulders, linked with alcohol misuse.

Why is "Cystic hygroma" not the answer?

Cystic hygroma is a soft transilluminant swelling in children.

Why is "Thyroid goitre" not the answer?

A goitre moves on swallowing and is anterior.

Why is "Lymphoma" not the answer?

Lymphoma presents with firm nodes and systemic symptoms.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Head and neck tumours: Madelung disease in ENT. Surgery or liposuction is for cosmetic or compressive problems.

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 Head and neck tumours: Madelung disease?

Learn tuning fork results and audiogram patterns by sketching them. Then use the flashcards and the other ENT 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.