Below are written questions from previous quizzes and exams. Click here for the new format Practical Quiz. Click here for the old format Practical Quiz.
You are called to perform thoracentesis (remove fluid from the pleural cavity). If you are to avoid injuring lung or neurovascular elements, where would you insert the aspiration needle? the top of interspace 8 in the midclavicular line the bottom of interspace 8 in the midclavicular line the top of interspace 9 in the midaxillary line the bottom of interspace 9 in the midaxillary line the top of interspace 11 in the scapular line
The pleural space into which lung tissue just above the cardiac notch would tend to expand during deep inspiration is the: Anterior mediastinum Costodiaphragmatic recess Costomediastinal recess Cupola Pulmonary ligament
Which feature is found only in the left lung? Cardiac notch Horizontal fissure Oblique fissure Superior lobar bronchus Three lobes
Which of the following nerves would be most vulnerable to irritation when the tracheobronchial lymph nodes are enlarged due to a diseased situation? Right phrenic Left phrenic Right recurrent laryngeal Left recurrent laryngeal Right vagus
Which part of the left lung might partially fill the costomediastinal recess in full inspiration? Apex Cupola Hilum Lingula Middle lobe
The oblique fissure of the right lung separates which structures?
Lower lobe from lingula Lower lobe from upper lobe only Lower lobe from both upper and middle lobes Lower lobe from middle lobe only Upper from middle lobe
In a post-soccer match brawl, a 35-year-old man was stabbed in the back with a knife that just nicked his left lung halfway between its apex and diaphragmatic surface. Which part of the lung was most likely injured? Hilum Inferior lobe Lingula Middle lobe Superior lobe
A 4-year-old girl is brought in with coughing, and you are told by her mother that she had been playing with some beads and had apparently aspirated one (gotten it into her airway). Where would you expect it to most likely be? Apicoposterior segmental bronchus of left lung Left main bronchus Lingular segment of left lung Right main bronchus Terminal bronchiole of right lung, lower lobe
Which statement is true about the right lung? it is slightly smaller than the left lung it has a lingular segmental bronchus it occupies the rightmost portion of the mediastinum its upper lobar bronchus lies behind and above the right pulmonary artery it has the right phrenic nerve passing posterior to the lung root
During a surgical procedure in the vicinity of the descending aorta, a surgeon accidentally cuts the first aortic intercostal arteries. Which of the following structures might be deprived of its main source of blood supply? first posterior intercostal space first anterior intercostal space left bronchus right bronchus fibrous pericardium
A sick person, lying supine in bed, aspirates (breathes in) some fluid into her lungs while swallowing. It would most likely end up in which of the following bronchopulmonary segments? anterior segmental bronchus of right superior lobe medial segmental bronchus of right middle lobe superior segmental bronchus of right inferior lobe medial basal segmental bronchus of left inferior lobe inferior segmental bronchus of lingular lobe
A 22-year-old male involved in a bar-room brawl suffered a stab wound through the posterior thoracic wall that entered the posterior surface of the right lung half way between its apex and diaphragmatic surface. Which part of the lung did the knife first enter? Cupola Inferior lobe Lingula Middle lobe Superior lobe
A 20-year-old man was stabbed in the back with a knife that just nicked his right lung halfway between its apex and diaphragmatic surface. Which part of the lung was most likely injured? Middle lobe Inferior lobe Cardiac notch Lingula Superior lobe
A 10-year-old boy underwent a tonsillectomy under general anesthesia. At home he lay supine in bed for two weeks and developed a fever and chest pain with cough. He returned to the hospital and was diagnosed as having right lung pneumonia due to aspiration of infectious material during the tonsillectomy. In which bronchopulmonary segment of the lung would fluid (pus) most likely have accumulated by the simple force of gravity? Anterior basal segment--inferior lobe Anterior segment--superior lobe Lateral segment--middle lobe Superior segment--inferior lobe Superior lingual segment--lingula
You are observing a doctor perform a bronchoscopy. As he passes the bronchoscope down the trachea, a cartilagenous structure is observed separating the right and left main stem bronchi. He asks what it is called. You reply that it really does look like a ship's keel and that it is called the: Carina Cricoid cartilage Costal cartilage Pulmonary ligament Tracheal ring
The minor (horizontal) fissure separates: the lower lobe from the lingula the upper lobe from the lingula the lower lobe from both the middle and upper lobes the lower lobe from the middle lobe the middle lobe from the upper lobe
Your patient, an 86-year-old female who has been bed-ridden and lying supine for many weeks, has developed a right lung abscess that is draining by gravity into one particular region of the lung. Where is the most likely site of fluid accumulation? Apical segment of upper lobe Lingula Lower lobe Middle lobe Superior segment of lower lobe
Because of its angle with the trachea and size of the main bronchus, a bronchoscope would pass more readily into which lung? Left Right
Which vessel courses across the mediastinum in an almost horizontal fashion? Left subclavian artery Left subclavian vein Left brachiocephalic vein Left internal jugular vein Left common carotid artery
A 78-year-old female presented with edema of the left upper limb due to poor venous return. Examination revealed an aneurysm of the ascending aorta that was impinging on a large vein lying immediately anterosuperior to it, most likely the: Azygos v. Internal thoracic v. Left brachiocephalic v. Left superior intercostal v. Right brachiocephalic v.
An 8-year-old boy is found to have a mid-line tumor of the thymus gland that is impinging posteriorly on a blood vessel. The affected vessel is most likely the: left brachiocephalic vein left pulmonary vein left bronchial vein right pulmonary artery right superior intercostal vein
Sympathetic fibers in the greater thoracic splanchnic nerve arise from neuron cell bodies found in the:
brainstem celiac ganglion chain ganglion spinal cord superior mesenteric ganglion
Which nerve fiber would have its cell body in the lateral horn of the spinal cord at segmental level T1? Afferent fiber from cutaneous blood vessels of the nose Afferent fiber from skin around the nipple Efferent fibers to sweat glands in the lumbar region Efferent fibers to skin of the forehead Parasympathetic fibers to the heart
Gray rami communicantes contain postganglionic sympathetic fibers that innervate which of the following structures in the thoracic region?
aorta heart lung sweat glands trachea
In the midregion of the thorax the thoracic duct lies immediately posterior to the: aorta azygos vein esophagus superior vena cava trachea
Lymph nodes can be found in which mediastinal compartment(s)? Anterior Middle Posterior All of the above None of the above
Which structure contains postganglionic sympathetic fibers? greater thoracic splanchnic nerve recurrent larygneal nerve white ramus communicans ulnar nerve vagus nerve
Which posterior mediastinal structure is most closely applied to the posterior surface of the
pericardial sac? aorta azygos vein esophagus thoracic duct trachea
A tumor of the posterior mediastinum is most likely to compress which of the following structures? Arch of the aorta Esophagus Inferior vena cava Pulmonary trunk Trachea
The aorta is located in which mediastinal compartment(s)? Anterior only Anterior and middle Middle only Middle and posterior Posterior only
While performing transesophageal echocardiography on a patient, the posterior wall of the esophagus, immediately behind the left atrium, was punctured from within. The patient subsequently developed an infection in the space around the esophagus at this point, namely the: Anterior mediastinum Middle mediastinum Posterior mediastinum Superior mediastinum
Since the puncture in the previous question was through the posterior wall of the esophagus, the doctors were also very concerned about possible damage to a thin-walled vessel just behind the esophagus and between the azygos vein and aorta, i.e., the: Hemiazygos vein Left bronchial vein Left pulmonary vein Superior vena cava Thoracic duct
During a surgical procedure, a patient's right sympathetic trunk was accidentally severed just cranial to the level of spinal nerve T1. Which function would be left intact in the affected region? Arrector pili muscle activity Dilation/constriction of blood vessels Sweat production Visceral reflex activity Voluntary muscle activity
Most of the drainage of the thoracic body wall reaches the superior vena cava via the azygos vein. A notable exception is the left superior intercostal vein, which normally drains into the: Left brachiocephalic vein Left bronchial vein Left pulmonary vein Left subclavian vein Superior vena cava
You are observing a physician perform a thoracoscopic procedure. She pushes the deflated lung anteroinferiorly and points out a nervous structure lying across the heads of the ribs. You identify this structure as the Greater thoracic splanchnic nerve Sympathetic trunk Phrenic nerve Pulmonary plexus Vagus nerve
An enlarging lymph node gradually constricts the flow of blood in the azygos venous arch. Which vessel would enlarge as a result of collateral drainage? Superior vena cava Inferior vena cava Internal thoracic vein Right brachiocephalic vein Superior epigastric vein
During a procedure to harvest lymph nodes in the posterior mediastinum, the thoracic duct is accidentally cut. The resulting accumulation of lymph in the pleural cavity is referred to as: Pleurisy Chylothorax Pyothorax Hemothorax Lymphedema
A cancerous growth from the body of the 9th thoracic vertebra exerts pressure anterolaterally. Which structure lies in direct contact with this growth? Right vagus nerve Right phrenic nerve Right sympathetic trunk Right greater thoracic splanchnic nerve Right 9th intercostal nerve
A 45-year-old female patient complains of excessive sweating on the right side of the face and neck and in the right armpit region, where it leaves her clothing constantly stained with moisture. It is now such a terrible social embarrassment that she has become withdrawn and self-conscious. Since no medical treatment has proven effective, she is considering surgical denervation of the sweat glands in the affected areas. Which structure(s) might be removed or cut in order to alleviate her condition? Cervicothoracic (stellate) ganglion Dorsal roots of cervical nerves Greater thoracic splanchnic nerve Lumbar sympathetic trunk Vagus nerve
While viewing an exploratory surgery on a patient injured in an automobile accident, you see the surgeon elevate the esophagus off the vertebral bodies and look in the area between the azygos vein and descending aorta. What structure was she most likely looking for? Greater thoracic splanchnic nerve Left recurrent laryngeal nerve Right pulmonary artery Sympathetic trunk Thoracic duct
The ductus arteriosus sometimes remains open after birth, requiring surgical closure. When placing a clamp on the ductus, care must be taken to avoid injury to what important structure immediately dorsal to it? Accessory hemiazygos vein Left internal thoracic artery Left phrenic nerve Left recurrent laryngeal nerve Thoracic duct
A frail, elderly man, suspected of having widespread cancer of the lungs and bronchi, is brought in for bronchoscopic examination. The instrument is inserted into the airway, where it accidentally punctures the thin, brittle posterior wall of the diseased right main bronchus. A sudden gush of blood immediately indicates that the instrument has also torn the wall of the blood vessel immediately behind the right main bronchus, i.e., the: Azygos vein Left brachiocephalic artery Pericardiacophrenic artery Right pulmonary vein Superior vena cava