American Board of Pathology (ABPath) Practice Test 2025 - Free Pathology Exam Practice Questions and Study Guide

Question: 1 / 400

What is the most likely diagnosis for a hypoechoic, wedge-shaped mass in a patient following a motorcycle accident?

Cyst

Hemorrhage

Infarct

In the context of a hypoechoic, wedge-shaped mass occurring after a motorcycle accident, the most likely diagnosis is an infarct. An infarct is an area of tissue that has undergone necrosis due to a lack of blood supply, often related to trauma or vascular obstruction. After a significant injury, such as that from a motorcycle crash, blood flow to a certain area may be compromised, leading to localized necrosis manifested as a wedge-shaped hypoechoic area on imaging studies like ultrasound.

The characteristics of the mass being hypoechoic also support the diagnosis of an infarct, as infarcts are typically less echogenic than the surrounding healthy tissues. The wedge shape can correspond to the pattern of blood supply interruption, where tissue downstream from a compromised blood vessel shows damage in a specific territory, resembling a wedge.

Other options, while relevant in some trauma-related contexts, don't fit as precisely. For instance, a cyst would generally be anechoic and round rather than hypoechoic and wedge-shaped; hemorrhage could potentially have a variable echo pattern depending on its age and organization; and an abscess would typically have some associated features of infection, such as a complex appearance with possible internal echoes.

Thus, the characteristics of the

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Abscess

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