NSG 5140 Midterm Exam Review Adv
Pathophysiology South College NSG 5140
Advanced Pathophysiology Exam Questions
and Answers | 100% Pass Guaranteed | Graded
A+ | 2026
Q1. A cell adapts to increased workload by increasing in size. This
process is called:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, leading to tissue/organ
enlargement. It occurs in response to increased workload (e.g., cardiac
myocytes in hypertension). Hyperplasia is increased cell number .
Q2. A patient with chronic hepatitis develops an enlarged, fatty liver.
The cellular adaptation seen is:
A) Physiologic hyperplasia
B) Pathologic hyperplasia
C) Physiologic hypertrophy
D) Atrophy
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Pathologic hyperplasia is abnormal proliferation of cells in
,response to chronic irritation (e.g., hepatitis, hormonal imbalance). It can
progress to neoplasia if sustained .
Q3. Which cellular change is considered reversible?
A) Necrosis
B) Apoptosis
C) Cellular swelling
D) Karyolysis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Cellular swelling (hydropic change) is reversible with
correction of the injurious stimulus. Necrosis, apoptosis, and karyolysis
represent irreversible cell death .
Q4. The nurse understands that the hallmark of necrosis is:
A) Programmed cell death without inflammation
B) Cell swelling and inflammation
C) Cellular atrophy
D) Hyperplasia of surrounding tissue
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Necrosis is pathologic cell death characterized by cell
swelling, organelle breakdown, and inflammation. Apoptosis is
programmed cell death without inflammation .
Q5. Coagulative necrosis is most commonly seen in which organ?
A) Brain
B) Kidney (infarction)
C) Lung
D) Pancreas
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis, characterized by preserved tissue
,architecture with loss of nuclei, is typical of ischemic injury in solid organs
like kidney, heart, and liver. Brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis .
Q6. Liquefactive necrosis is typical of:
A) Myocardial infarction
B) Tuberculosis
C) Brain infarction (stroke)
D) Chronic pancreatitis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis transforms tissue into a liquid viscous
mass. It occurs in brain (due to abundant lipids and enzymes) and
bacterial abscesses. Tuberculosis causes caseous necrosis .
Q7. The cellular adaptation that involves replacement of one
differentiated cell type with another is:
A) Dysplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Anaplasia
D) Neoplasia
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is reversible replacement of one cell type by
another (e.g., squamous metaplasia in bronchial epithelium of smokers).
Dysplasia is disordered growth; anaplasia is loss of differentiation in
cancer .
Q8. Which type of necrosis is characterized by a "cheesy" appearance
on gross examination?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
, Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is grossly "cheesy" and is characteristic of
tuberculosis and certain fungal infections. It is a variant of coagulative
necrosis .
Q9. A client with pancreatitis develops chalky white spots in the
peritoneum. This represents:
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Fat necrosis
C) Gangrenous necrosis
D) Fibrinoid necrosis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when pancreatic enzymes (lipase) digest
fat, releasing fatty acids that bind calcium to form soap-like chalky
deposits. Common in acute pancreatitis .
Q10. Ischemic injury to the heart muscle most likely results in which
cell change?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Coagulative necrosis
D) Apoptosis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Myocardial infarction (ischemic injury) results in coagulative
necrosis due to loss of blood supply. Apoptosis may also occur in less
severe or border-zone ischemia .
Q11. A patient with chronic heart failure develops cardiomegaly. This is
an example of:
A) Pathologic hypertrophy
B) Physiologic hypertrophy
Pathophysiology South College NSG 5140
Advanced Pathophysiology Exam Questions
and Answers | 100% Pass Guaranteed | Graded
A+ | 2026
Q1. A cell adapts to increased workload by increasing in size. This
process is called:
A) Hyperplasia
B) Hypertrophy
C) Atrophy
D) Metaplasia
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Hypertrophy is an increase in cell size, leading to tissue/organ
enlargement. It occurs in response to increased workload (e.g., cardiac
myocytes in hypertension). Hyperplasia is increased cell number .
Q2. A patient with chronic hepatitis develops an enlarged, fatty liver.
The cellular adaptation seen is:
A) Physiologic hyperplasia
B) Pathologic hyperplasia
C) Physiologic hypertrophy
D) Atrophy
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Pathologic hyperplasia is abnormal proliferation of cells in
,response to chronic irritation (e.g., hepatitis, hormonal imbalance). It can
progress to neoplasia if sustained .
Q3. Which cellular change is considered reversible?
A) Necrosis
B) Apoptosis
C) Cellular swelling
D) Karyolysis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Cellular swelling (hydropic change) is reversible with
correction of the injurious stimulus. Necrosis, apoptosis, and karyolysis
represent irreversible cell death .
Q4. The nurse understands that the hallmark of necrosis is:
A) Programmed cell death without inflammation
B) Cell swelling and inflammation
C) Cellular atrophy
D) Hyperplasia of surrounding tissue
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Necrosis is pathologic cell death characterized by cell
swelling, organelle breakdown, and inflammation. Apoptosis is
programmed cell death without inflammation .
Q5. Coagulative necrosis is most commonly seen in which organ?
A) Brain
B) Kidney (infarction)
C) Lung
D) Pancreas
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Coagulative necrosis, characterized by preserved tissue
,architecture with loss of nuclei, is typical of ischemic injury in solid organs
like kidney, heart, and liver. Brain undergoes liquefactive necrosis .
Q6. Liquefactive necrosis is typical of:
A) Myocardial infarction
B) Tuberculosis
C) Brain infarction (stroke)
D) Chronic pancreatitis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Liquefactive necrosis transforms tissue into a liquid viscous
mass. It occurs in brain (due to abundant lipids and enzymes) and
bacterial abscesses. Tuberculosis causes caseous necrosis .
Q7. The cellular adaptation that involves replacement of one
differentiated cell type with another is:
A) Dysplasia
B) Metaplasia
C) Anaplasia
D) Neoplasia
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Metaplasia is reversible replacement of one cell type by
another (e.g., squamous metaplasia in bronchial epithelium of smokers).
Dysplasia is disordered growth; anaplasia is loss of differentiation in
cancer .
Q8. Which type of necrosis is characterized by a "cheesy" appearance
on gross examination?
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Liquefactive necrosis
C) Caseous necrosis
D) Fat necrosis
, Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Caseous necrosis is grossly "cheesy" and is characteristic of
tuberculosis and certain fungal infections. It is a variant of coagulative
necrosis .
Q9. A client with pancreatitis develops chalky white spots in the
peritoneum. This represents:
A) Coagulative necrosis
B) Fat necrosis
C) Gangrenous necrosis
D) Fibrinoid necrosis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: B
Rationale: Fat necrosis occurs when pancreatic enzymes (lipase) digest
fat, releasing fatty acids that bind calcium to form soap-like chalky
deposits. Common in acute pancreatitis .
Q10. Ischemic injury to the heart muscle most likely results in which
cell change?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Coagulative necrosis
D) Apoptosis
Correct ,,,answer,,,,: C
Rationale: Myocardial infarction (ischemic injury) results in coagulative
necrosis due to loss of blood supply. Apoptosis may also occur in less
severe or border-zone ischemia .
Q11. A patient with chronic heart failure develops cardiomegaly. This is
an example of:
A) Pathologic hypertrophy
B) Physiologic hypertrophy
