Neoplasia: pulmonary hamartoma: practice question

A Pathology 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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Pathology · Neoplasia: pulmonary hamartoma

Sample item

A 50-year-old asymptomatic man has a 2 cm well-circumscribed solitary pulmonary nodule with popcorn calcification on chest imaging. The resected nodule consists of disorganised mature cartilage, fat and clefts lined by respiratory epithelium. What is the diagnosis?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Pulmonary hamartoma

Pulmonary hamartoma is the commonest benign lung tumour and presents as a coin lesion. It is made of disorganised normal tissues native to the lung, mainly cartilage, with fat and entrapped clefts of epithelium. Popcorn calcification on imaging favours it over malignancy.

Option by option

  • A. Pulmonary hamartoma (correct)

    Correct. A mixture of mature cartilage, fat and epithelial clefts is the pattern of a hamartoma.

  • B. Tuberculoma

    A tuberculoma shows caseating granulomatous necrosis rather than mature cartilage.

  • C. Bronchial carcinoid

    Bronchial carcinoid shows nests of uniform neuroendocrine cells and is usually central and vascular.

  • D. Metastatic osteosarcoma

    Metastatic osteosarcoma shows malignant spindle cells producing osteoid and not benign cartilage with fat.

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.

More Pathology questions

Questions about this Pathology question

What is the answer to this Pathology question?

The best answer is A, Pulmonary hamartoma. Pulmonary hamartoma is the commonest benign lung tumour and presents as a coin lesion.

Why is "Tuberculoma" not the answer?

A tuberculoma shows caseating granulomatous necrosis rather than mature cartilage.

Why is "Bronchial carcinoid" not the answer?

Bronchial carcinoid shows nests of uniform neuroendocrine cells and is usually central and vascular.

Why is "Metastatic osteosarcoma" not the answer?

Metastatic osteosarcoma shows malignant spindle cells producing osteoid and not benign cartilage with fat.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Neoplasia: pulmonary hamartoma in Pathology. It is made of disorganised normal tissues native to the lung, mainly cartilage, with fat and entrapped clefts of epithelium. Popcorn calcification on imaging favours it over malignancy.

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 Neoplasia: pulmonary hamartoma?

Learn each disease as a bundle: cause, key histology, markers, and the clinical hallmark. Then use the flashcards and the other Pathology 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.