Abdominal and GI imaging: trichobezoar: practice question

A Radiology 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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Radiology · Abdominal and GI imaging: trichobezoar

Sample item

A 17-year-old girl with patchy scalp hair loss and a history of compulsive hair pulling has early satiety and a palpable epigastric mass. CT shows a mottled intraluminal gastric mass with trapped gas bubbles. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Trichobezoar

A trichobezoar is a hair ball that moulds to the stomach and appears as a heterogeneous intraluminal mass with trapped gas, in a patient with trichotillomania. Neoplasms are mural masses that enhance and do not contain gas-trapping debris.

Option by option

  • A. Gastric adenocarcinoma

    Adenocarcinoma is a mural mass with wall thickening that enhances.

  • B. Trichobezoar (correct)

    Correct. A mottled gas-trapping gastric mass with hair pulling is a trichobezoar.

  • C. Gastric lymphoma

    Lymphoma causes marked wall thickening and does not contain trapped gas.

  • D. Gastrointestinal stromal tumour

    A GIST is an enhancing mural mass and is not intraluminal debris.

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.

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Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is B, Trichobezoar. A trichobezoar is a hair ball that moulds to the stomach and appears as a heterogeneous intraluminal mass with trapped gas, in a patient with trichotillomania.

Why is "Gastric adenocarcinoma" not the answer?

Adenocarcinoma is a mural mass with wall thickening that enhances.

Why is "Gastric lymphoma" not the answer?

Lymphoma causes marked wall thickening and does not contain trapped gas.

Why is "Gastrointestinal stromal tumour" not the answer?

A GIST is an enhancing mural mass and is not intraluminal debris.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Abdominal and GI imaging: trichobezoar in Radiology. Neoplasms are mural masses that enhance and do not contain gas-trapping debris.

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 Abdominal and GI imaging: trichobezoar?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology 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.