Injuries and wounds: Mongolian spot versus bruise: 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 · Injuries and wounds: Mongolian spot versus bruise

Sample item

A 3-month-old Indian infant has bluish-grey patches over the sacrum and buttocks. They are painless and the colour has not changed over several days. What is the most likely diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

C. Dermal melanocytosis (Mongolian spot)

Mongolian spots are benign dermal melanocytosis, common in Asian infants over the lumbosacral area, and they do not change colour in days. A bruise is tender and passes through colour changes as it ages. Recognising them avoids a false allegation of abuse.

Option by option

  • A. Bruises from physical abuse

    Abusive bruises are tender and change colour within days.

  • B. Petechiae from thrombocytopenia

    Petechiae are pinpoint red spots that do not blanch and are not bluish-grey patches.

  • C. Dermal melanocytosis (Mongolian spot) (correct)

    Correct. A stable bluish-grey sacral patch in an Indian infant is a Mongolian spot.

  • D. Capillary haemangioma

    A haemangioma is a raised red vascular lesion.

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 C, Dermal melanocytosis (Mongolian spot). Mongolian spots are benign dermal melanocytosis, common in Asian infants over the lumbosacral area, and they do not change colour in days.

Why is "Bruises from physical abuse" not the answer?

Abusive bruises are tender and change colour within days.

Why is "Petechiae from thrombocytopenia" not the answer?

Petechiae are pinpoint red spots that do not blanch and are not bluish-grey patches.

Why is "Capillary haemangioma" not the answer?

A haemangioma is a raised red vascular lesion.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Injuries and wounds: Mongolian spot versus bruise in Forensic Medicine. A bruise is tender and passes through colour changes as it ages. Recognising them avoids a false allegation of abuse.

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 Injuries and wounds: Mongolian spot versus bruise?

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.