Orris
attachment
attachment

for this image give 3 mark question for spotting

Reading File
Finding Sources
Reading File
Reading File
Here is a complete 3-mark spotting question for this specimen, structured the way it is typically asked in anatomy/pathology practical exams:

Spotting Question - Anencephaly (3 Marks)

Specimen: Preserved fetus in a jar showing absence of the cranial vault, exposed neural tissue at the vertex, bulging eyes, frog-like facies, and apparent absence of the neck.

Q. Identify this specimen and answer the following: (3 marks)

A) Identify the specimen and name the type of neural tube defect shown. (1 mark)
Answer:
  • The specimen is a fetus with Anencephaly
  • It is the most common neural tube defect (NTD), resulting from failure of the neural groove to close in the rostral region between 18-20 post-ovulatory days
  • It is lethal - 65% die in utero and nearly 100% die within the first postnatal week
B) Name the three developmental phases leading to this condition, and state two key diagnostic/clinical features visible in this specimen. (1 mark)
Answer: Three phases:
  1. Dysraphia - failure of neural groove closure in the rostral region (18-20 days post-ovulation)
  2. Exencephaly - exposed, well-differentiated brain outside the skull during embryonic period
  3. Anencephaly - disintegration of the exposed brain during the fetal period
Visible features in this specimen:
  • Absent cranium above the level of the orbits (absent calvaria)
  • Prominent, bulging eyes with absent/short neck (frog-like facies)
C) Name two maternal serum markers used for antenatal diagnosis, one prevention strategy, and state the sex predilection. (1 mark)
Answer:
  • Antenatal markers: Elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) and acetylcholinesterase (even more reliably elevated in amniotic fluid); hydramnios is also common
  • Prevention: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation (from the time of conception through first trimester) reduces incidence of anencephaly and myelomeningocele
  • Sex predilection: Females predominate, with a ratio of 3:1 to 7:1 (female > male)
Sources: Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 12th Ed.; Creasy & Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine
This is a shared conversation. Sign in to Orris to start your own chat.