Technologist’s Breast Imaging Quiz (Entry level): Pathology

1. Which of the following are potential causes of breast edema?

a) Cancer

b) Lymph obstruction

c) Inflammatory disease

d) Hodgkin’s lymphoma

e) All of the above

2. Which of the following characteristics of calcification are usually benign?

a) Unilateral

b) Varied densities

c) Indian line

d) Dense

e) Tea-cup shaped

3. Which of the following characteristics of masses are usually malignant?

a) Irregular margin

b) Follow parenchymal lines

c) Radiopaque

d) Radiolucent

e) Palpable

4. Which of the following aspects of calcification usually require biopsy?

a) Decreased number

b) Lucent centers

c) Increased number

d) Decreased density

e) Rim

5. Which of these masses would probably be benign?

a) Stellate

b) Fixed

c) Smooth margin

d) Indistinct margin

e) Feels larger than it appears

6. Which of the following is a common cause of calcifications?

a) Necrosis

b) Atrophy

c) Fibrocystic change

d) Lipoma

e) Lymphedema

7. A lipoma is:

a) Radiopaque

b) Firm/fixed

c) Malignant

d) Never seen mammographically

e) Radiolucent

8. Which of the following is the most common neoplasm in the breast?

a) Cysts

b) DCIS

c) Internal mammary nodes

d) Fibroadenoma

e) Lipoma

9. Which of the following aspects of calcification probably would NOT required follow-up?

a) Increased density

b) Lucent centers

c) Increased number

d) Varied sizes

e) Irregular borders

10. Which of the following is a primary presentation of breast pathology?

a) Unilateral pain

b) Bilateral discharge

c) Asymmetry

d) Nipple inversion

e) Mass

11. Which of the following characteristics of a mass is considered benign?

a) Dense

b) Encapsulated

c) Fixed

d) Firm

e) Indistinct

12. Which characteristic of nipple discharge is clinically significant?

a) Creamy

b) Bilateral

c) Expressed

d) Spontaneous

e) Persistent

13. Architectural distortion is:

a) Disruption in the natural flow toward the nipple

b) Converging radial lines

c) Radial scarring

d) Diametrically opposing parenchyma

e) Patterns from surgical scarring

14. A malignant breast mass is usually

a) Occult

b) Mobile

c) Fixed

d) Oval

e) Smooth

15. What is the most common breast symptom?

a) Mastaglia

b) Cysts

c) Dysplasia

d) Lump

e) Nipple discharge

16. A simple cyst is:

a) Indefinite

b) Hallowed

c) Radiolucent

d) Ill-defined

e) Immobile

17. An infiltrating carcinoma:

a) Feels smaller than it looks

b) Moves easily within the breast

c) Has smooth borders

d) Is very uncommon

e) Has a stellate presentation

18. Paget’s Disease of the breast presents with:

a) A smooth mass

b) Low density calcifications

c) Morgagni’s tubercles

d) Eczema type rash

e) Stag-horn calcifications

19. Unilateral red, hard, hot, extremely tender breast tissue might indicate:

a) Fibrocystic condition

b) Mastitis

c) Sunburn

d) LCIS

e) Fibroadenoma

20. A tubular breast lesion is:

a) Benign

b) Common

c) Cystic

d) Bilateral

e) Malignant

SUMMARY:

I hope this little tech quiz has peaked your interest. If you had to guess at any of the answers all explanations are revealed in my manual “THE MAMMOGRAPHER’S COMPANION.” (If you think you or your department would benefit, you can order a copy directly from me. Send an email for details.). The simple answer key follows:

1. e)

2. d)

3. a)

4. c)

5. c)

6. a)

7. e)

8. d)

9. b)

10. e)

11. b)

12. d)

13. a)

14. c)

15. a)

16. b)

17. e)

18. d)

19. b)

20. e)