Unit 1: Medical Terminology and Anatomy

• Topic 01

  Medical Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words

  45 questions
• Topic 02

  Body Planes, Directional Terms, and Cavities

  45 questions
• Topic 03

  Integumentary System — Skin, Hair, and Nails

  45 questions
• Topic 04

  Musculoskeletal System — Bones, Joints, and Muscles

  46 questions
• Topic 05

  Cardiovascular System — Heart and Vascular Anatomy

  45 questions
• Topic 06

  Respiratory System — Airways and Lung Function

  45 questions
• Topic 07

  Gastrointestinal System — Digestive Tract and Accessory Organs

  30 questions
• Topic 08

  Urinary System — Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder, and Urethra

  45 questions
• Topic 09

  Endocrine System — Glands and Hormones

  42 questions
• Topic 10

  Nervous System — CNS, PNS, and Reflexes

  43 questions
• Topic 11

  Reproductive Systems — Male and Female Anatomy

  51 questions
• Topic 12

  Sensory Organs — Eyes and Ears

  45 questions

A few questions from this unit, with the answer and a full explanation. The complete bank is available when you start practising.

1. A woman who is not pregnant or breastfeeding presents with breast milk discharge (galactorrhoea) and irregular menstrual periods. Blood tests reveal markedly elevated prolactin. Which cause should be considered first?

   • A
     Excess growth hormone causing galactorrhoea as a secondary effect of acromegaly in adult women
   • B
     Excess oxytocin from the posterior pituitary stimulating the mammary glands independently of prolactin
   • C
     A prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma (prolactinoma), the most common cause of pathological hyperprolactinaemia
     Correct answer
   • D
     Primary hypothyroidism causing elevated TSH that cross-reacts with prolactin receptors, mimicking prolactinoma
   Explanation

   The most common pathological cause of elevated prolactin (hyperprolactinaemia) in both men and women is a prolactinoma — a benign prolactin-secreting adenoma of the anterior pituitary. In women, hyperprolactinaemia inhibits GnRH and gonadotropins (FSH, LH), causing menstrual irregularities, anovulation, and infertility. The galactorrhoea results from the direct action of excess prolactin on the mammary glands. Note: primary hypothyroidism can also cause mild hyperprolactinaemia via elevated TRH, which stimulates prolactin release.

2. A patient with chronic stress reports frequent stomach pain, bloating, and constipation. How does prolonged sympathetic activation (chronic stress) contribute to these GI symptoms?

   • A
     The GI symptoms are unrelated to the nervous system and result from dietary factors alone
   • B
     Sympathetic activation stimulates the vagus nerve, which causes excessive acid secretion leading to ulcers
   • C
     Sympathetic activation increases GI motility excessively, causing diarrhea and cramping from overstimulation
   • D
     Sympathetic activation inhibits GI motility, reduces digestive secretions, and constricts GI blood vessels — impairing normal digestion and causing constipation and discomfort
     Correct answer
   Explanation

   During sympathetic ('fight-or-flight') activation, the body prioritizes delivering blood and energy to skeletal muscles and the heart. GI function is suppressed: peristalsis slows (causing constipation), sphincters contract, digestive secretions decrease, and blood is diverted away from GI organs via vasoconstriction. Chronic sympathetic dominance due to prolonged stress leads to ongoing digestive suppression, manifesting as constipation, bloating, nausea, and abdominal discomfort — consistent with conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in which stress plays a significant role.

3. An MRI report describes a scan taken in a plane that separates the lungs from the liver. Which primary anatomical plane best describes this section?

   • A
     Sagittal plane, because it passes through the midline separating left from right
   • B
     Midsagittal plane, because it equally divides the body into left and right halves
   • C
     Frontal (coronal) plane, because it separates the anterior chest from the posterior back
   • D
     Transverse (horizontal) plane, because it separates superior structures (lungs) from inferior structures (liver)
     Correct answer
   Explanation

   The transverse (horizontal) plane cuts the body at a right angle to the long axis, separating superior portions from inferior portions. Because the lungs sit superior to the diaphragm and the liver sits inferior to it, a scan that divides these regions is a transverse section. This plane is also called an axial or cross-sectional plane in imaging contexts.