Oral medicine and oral cancer: chronic ulcers: practice question

A Dentistry 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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Dentistry · Oral medicine and oral cancer: chronic ulcers

Sample item

A 40-year-old with a chronic cough and weight loss has a painless, irregular, shallow ulcer on the dorsum of the tongue. Biopsy shows granulomas with caseation. Which test would best confirm the cause?

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

The answer and the reasoning

B. Ziehl-Neelsen staining of biopsy or culture

Caseating granulomas in an oral ulcer with pulmonary symptoms indicate tuberculosis, usually secondary to pulmonary disease. Acid-fast staining or culture confirms it.

Option by option

  • A. Giemsa stain

    Giemsa stains parasites and blood cells.

  • B. Ziehl-Neelsen staining of biopsy or culture (correct)

    Correct. Acid-fast bacilli are demonstrated with Ziehl-Neelsen stain.

  • C. Gram stain for Actinomyces

    Actinomyces gives sulphur granules, not caseation.

  • D. India ink stain

    India ink highlights the capsule of Cryptococcus.

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.

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Questions about this Dentistry question

What is the answer to this Dentistry question?

The best answer is B, Ziehl-Neelsen staining of biopsy or culture. Caseating granulomas in an oral ulcer with pulmonary symptoms indicate tuberculosis, usually secondary to pulmonary disease.

Why is "Giemsa stain" not the answer?

Giemsa stains parasites and blood cells.

Why is "Gram stain for Actinomyces" not the answer?

Actinomyces gives sulphur granules, not caseation.

Why is "India ink stain" not the answer?

India ink highlights the capsule of Cryptococcus.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Oral medicine and oral cancer: chronic ulcers in Dentistry. Acid-fast staining or culture confirms it.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. 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 Oral medicine and oral cancer: chronic ulcers?

Learn the dental formula, eruption ages and tooth structure once, as tables. Then use the flashcards and the other Dentistry 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.