Pathology Cheat Sheet
Name the Lung Pattern
Respiratory infection and airway disease for NEET-PG: lobar pneumonia stages, emphysema types, asthma Curschmann spirals, bronchiectasis, and TB Ghon complex.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Name the Lung Pattern
Respiratory infection and airway disease for NEET-PG: lobar pneumonia stages, emphysema types, asthma Curschmann spirals, bronchiectasis, and TB Ghon complex.
Pneumonia, lung abscess, obstructive airway disease and pulmonary tuberculosis, the main infective and airway lung pathologies.
High-yield lines
- Lobar pneumonia is most often caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and passes through congestion, red hepatisation, grey hepatisation, and resolution.
- Bronchopneumonia is patchy consolidation centred on bronchioles, common at the extremes of age.
- A lung abscess is a localised collection of pus, often from aspiration, and contains a cavity with an air-fluid level.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comprises chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
- Chronic bronchitis is defined clinically and shows an increased Reid index from mucous gland hyperplasia.
- Centriacinar emphysema affects the upper lobes and is linked to smoking.
- Panacinar emphysema affects the lower lobes and is linked to alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
- Asthma shows bronchial smooth muscle hypertrophy, mucus plugs with Curschmann spirals, and Charcot-Leyden crystals.
- Bronchiectasis is permanent dilatation of bronchi from chronic infection and obstruction.
- Primary tuberculosis forms a Ghon focus with a draining hilar node, together making the Ghon complex.
- Secondary tuberculosis produces apical cavitary lesions with caseating granulomas.
- Miliary tuberculosis is haematogenous dissemination producing tiny granulomas throughout the lungs.
Mapped competency codes
- PA26.1
- PA26.2
- PA26.3
- PA26.4
Continue into the full chapter
This summary maps to PA26-respiratory-system.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the stages of lobar pneumonia?
Congestion, red hepatisation, grey hepatisation, and resolution, most commonly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
How do centriacinar and panacinar emphysema differ?
Centriacinar emphysema affects the upper lobes and is caused by smoking, while panacinar emphysema affects the lower lobes and is caused by alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency.
What is the Ghon complex?
The combination of a peripheral primary tuberculous lesion, the Ghon focus, together with the involved draining hilar lymph node.
What microscopic findings characterise asthma?
Bronchial smooth muscle hypertrophy, goblet cell hyperplasia, mucus plugs with Curschmann spirals, and Charcot-Leyden crystals from eosinophils.
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