Thorax: foramen of Morgagni: practice question

A Anatomy 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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Anatomy · Thorax: foramen of Morgagni

Sample item

A 55-year-old obese woman has a smooth opacity in the right cardiophrenic angle on a chest film. CT shows omental fat herniating into the chest through a defect just behind the sternum. Through which diaphragmatic gap has it passed?

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

The answer and the reasoning

A. Sternocostal triangle

The sternocostal triangle (foramen of Morgagni) lies between the sternal and costal origins of the diaphragm, where the superior epigastric vessels pass. Hernias here are anterior, retrosternal and usually right-sided because the pericardium and heart protect the left. The lumbocostal gap lies posteriorly.

Option by option

  • A. Sternocostal triangle (correct)

    Correct. It is the anterior retrosternal gap between the sternal and costal slips of the diaphragm.

  • B. Oesophageal hiatus

    This hiatus transmits the oesophagus and vagal trunks and causes sliding or rolling hiatus hernias.

  • C. Caval opening

    The caval opening at T8 transmits the inferior vena cava and right phrenic branches, and is not a hernia site.

  • D. Lumbocostal triangle

    This posterolateral gap is the site of the congenital posterior hernia, not a retrosternal one.

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 Anatomy questions

Questions about this Anatomy question

What is the answer to this Anatomy question?

The best answer is A, Sternocostal triangle. The sternocostal triangle (foramen of Morgagni) lies between the sternal and costal origins of the diaphragm, where the superior epigastric vessels pass.

Why is "Oesophageal hiatus" not the answer?

This hiatus transmits the oesophagus and vagal trunks and causes sliding or rolling hiatus hernias.

Why is "Caval opening" not the answer?

The caval opening at T8 transmits the inferior vena cava and right phrenic branches, and is not a hernia site.

Why is "Lumbocostal triangle" not the answer?

This posterolateral gap is the site of the congenital posterior hernia, not a retrosternal one.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Thorax: foramen of Morgagni in Anatomy. Hernias here are anterior, retrosternal and usually right-sided because the pericardium and heart protect the left. The lumbocostal gap lies posteriorly.

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 Thorax: foramen of Morgagni?

Learn every nerve by its route, its muscles and what a lesion looks like at the bedside. That one habit answers a large share of questions. Then use the flashcards and the other Anatomy 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.