Acute rhinosinusitis: 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 · Acute rhinosinusitis

Sample item

A patient with acute rhinosinusitis has a deep central headache behind the eyes and vertex, worse on lying down, with post-nasal discharge. Which sinus is most likely involved?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Sphenoid sinus

The sphenoid sinus lies deep in the skull base, so disease gives deep midline retro-orbital or vertex pain. Frontal sinusitis gives forehead pain, maxillary gives cheek pain.

Option by option

  • A. Frontal sinus

    Frontal sinus disease gives forehead pain.

  • B. Sphenoid sinus (correct)

    Correct. Deep central pain suits the posterior sinus at the skull base.

  • C. Maxillary sinus

    Maxillary sinusitis gives cheek and dental pain.

  • D. Anterior ethmoid sinus

    Anterior ethmoid disease gives pain at the medial canthus.

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 B, Sphenoid sinus. The sphenoid sinus lies deep in the skull base, so disease gives deep midline retro-orbital or vertex pain.

Why is "Frontal sinus" not the answer?

Frontal sinus disease gives forehead pain.

Why is "Maxillary sinus" not the answer?

Maxillary sinusitis gives cheek and dental pain.

Why is "Anterior ethmoid sinus" not the answer?

Anterior ethmoid disease gives pain at the medial canthus.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Acute rhinosinusitis in ENT. Frontal sinusitis gives forehead pain, maxillary gives cheek pain.

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 Acute rhinosinusitis?

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.