Higher Specialist Diploma
Immunology
Examination - September 2022
Short-answer questions
60 minutes
Attempt all four questions
Instructions to candidates
1. Record your candidate number and HSD discipline on the front sheet of the answer
booklet
2. Record your candidate number, the question number and the page number in the
spaces provided on the answer sheets
3. Begin each new question on a new page
4. Each question is worth 25 marks
Page | 1
HSD in Immunology – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1.
Your laboratory has recently changed from ANA (Hep2) testing to a Connective Tissue
Disease (CTD Screen). You have been asked to present at the GP forum to explain the
change.
Outline the key points you need to explain in your presentation.
2.
Your reception staff have given you a batch of allergy forms where the clinician has only
indicated “?allergy / specific IgE please”.
For each of the following state with reasons which specific IgE / allergen tests you would
recommend: (5 marks each)
i. A&E ?anaphylaxis
ii. ABPA
iii. Seasonal Rhinitis (Spring)
iv. Anaphylaxis after eating Snickers
v. Laboratory worker with eczema on hands
3.
A doctor calls querying the serum free light results for a patient with a known diagnosis of
IgG Kappa myeloma. The table below shows the most recent results and the previous two.
07/01/2022 05/02/2022 06/03/2022 Reference Range
Kappa Light
86.33 90.21 150.66 3.30-19.40
chains (mg/L)
Lambda Light
2.96 3.20 2.89 5.71-26.30
chains (mg/L)
K/L Ratio 29.17 28.19 52.13 0.26-1.65
a. Given the results above explain why the doctor may be concerned. (10 marks)
b. Explain what the possible causes for this are and how would you investigate this
further. (15 marks)
Page | 2
HSD in Immunology – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
Immunology
Examination - September 2022
Short-answer questions
60 minutes
Attempt all four questions
Instructions to candidates
1. Record your candidate number and HSD discipline on the front sheet of the answer
booklet
2. Record your candidate number, the question number and the page number in the
spaces provided on the answer sheets
3. Begin each new question on a new page
4. Each question is worth 25 marks
Page | 1
HSD in Immunology – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
, 1.
Your laboratory has recently changed from ANA (Hep2) testing to a Connective Tissue
Disease (CTD Screen). You have been asked to present at the GP forum to explain the
change.
Outline the key points you need to explain in your presentation.
2.
Your reception staff have given you a batch of allergy forms where the clinician has only
indicated “?allergy / specific IgE please”.
For each of the following state with reasons which specific IgE / allergen tests you would
recommend: (5 marks each)
i. A&E ?anaphylaxis
ii. ABPA
iii. Seasonal Rhinitis (Spring)
iv. Anaphylaxis after eating Snickers
v. Laboratory worker with eczema on hands
3.
A doctor calls querying the serum free light results for a patient with a known diagnosis of
IgG Kappa myeloma. The table below shows the most recent results and the previous two.
07/01/2022 05/02/2022 06/03/2022 Reference Range
Kappa Light
86.33 90.21 150.66 3.30-19.40
chains (mg/L)
Lambda Light
2.96 3.20 2.89 5.71-26.30
chains (mg/L)
K/L Ratio 29.17 28.19 52.13 0.26-1.65
a. Given the results above explain why the doctor may be concerned. (10 marks)
b. Explain what the possible causes for this are and how would you investigate this
further. (15 marks)
Page | 2
HSD in Immunology – Sept 2022 Short Answer, Essay and Case Studies Papers FINAL EXAM PAPERS
