OVERVIEW
This page is dedicated to organizing various examples of standardized exam questions whose answer is neurocysticercosis. While this may seem a odd practice, it is useful to see multiple examples of how neurocysticercosis will be characterized on standardized exams (namely the boards and the shelf exams). This page is not meant to be used as a traditional question bank (as all of the answers will be the same), however seeing the classic “test” characterization for a disease is quite valuable.
QUESTION EXAMPLES
Question # 1
Fifth year old males brought to the hospital because of a generalized seizure. The patient has no past medical history that is your goal and has never had a seizure before in the past. He denies using any tobacco or on home products. The patient explains that he is a missionary and recently spent four months on a rural pig farm abroad. His temperature is 98.7°F, blood pressure is 120/75 mmHg, and his pulse is 85 bpm. The patient is drowsy and posting. An EEG shows epileptiform activity. A brain MRI to demonstrates severe intraparenchymal 5 to 10 mm cystic lesions that have surrounding edema. There is no mass effect or midline shift the parents on MRI. The rapid HIV test is negative. What is the likely diagnosis in this patient?
Explnation: exposure to pigs + seizures + brain cysts = neurocysticercosis
Page Updated: 02.22.2017