Musculoskeletal imaging: enchondroma of the hand: practice question

A Radiology 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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Radiology · Musculoskeletal imaging: enchondroma of the hand

Sample item

A 30-year-old has a painless swelling of a proximal phalanx. Radiograph shows a well-defined lytic lesion with stippled rings and arcs of calcification, with endosteal scalloping and no soft tissue mass. What is the likely diagnosis?

AOsteosarcomaBSimple bone cystCGiant cell tumourDEnchondroma

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

The answer and the reasoning

D. Enchondroma

Enchondromas are benign cartilage tumours that favour the small tubular bones of the hand and show rings and arcs of chondroid calcification. Multiple lesions occur in Ollier disease. Pain without trauma in a large-bone lesion should raise concern for chondrosarcoma.

Option by option

A. Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma shows aggressive periosteal reaction and a mass.
B. Simple bone cyst
A simple cyst has no calcified matrix.
C. Giant cell tumour
Giant cell tumour is an epiphyseal lytic lesion without chondroid calcification.
D. Enchondroma (correct)
Correct. Rings and arcs in a phalanx suggest enchondroma.

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.

Questions about this Radiology question

What is the answer to this Radiology question?

The best answer is D, Enchondroma. Enchondromas are benign cartilage tumours that favour the small tubular bones of the hand and show rings and arcs of chondroid calcification.

Why is "Osteosarcoma" not the answer?

Osteosarcoma shows aggressive periosteal reaction and a mass.

Why is "Simple bone cyst" not the answer?

A simple cyst has no calcified matrix.

Why is "Giant cell tumour" not the answer?

Giant cell tumour is an epiphyseal lytic lesion without chondroid calcification.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Musculoskeletal imaging: enchondroma of the hand in Radiology. Multiple lesions occur in Ollier disease. Pain without trauma in a large-bone lesion should raise concern for chondrosarcoma.

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 Musculoskeletal imaging: enchondroma of the hand?

Learn signs with the image, and the disease they point to. Then use the flashcards and the other Radiology 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.