USMLE World Brain Tumor Questions

[alphaholic06]

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Has anyone done the question where they want you to be able to differentiate a brain tumor in a child based on a MRI? Is this just a typical out of left field World question or is this something we should know for the exam? Thanks

 

[Depakote]

Has anyone done the question where they want you to be able to differentiate a brain tumor in a child based on a MRI? Is this just a typical out of left field World question or is this something we should know for the exam? Thanks

I've seen one that looked like it would have been fair game.

 

[joeylux]

"Remember one, the other one's the other one."

 

[modelslashactor]

i think the key is deciding what the MOST LIKELY tumor is. if this is the question i'm thinking of, it's about knowing what the most common brain tumor in kids is (and that it can be supra or infratentorial).

 

[Slide]

Knowing the location of the tumor and age of the patient can significantly narrow down your choice to the most likely one. For instance, if one of the questions states that the patient is a kid, you can probably narrow it down to pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, or ependymoma. If the question points to the cerebellum on the MRI, you can bet it's going to be a medulloblastoma.

I believe that questions like these are fair game, and I actually prefer being asked about brain tumors this way because I suck at identifying cells. But yeah, you basically need to memorize the most common brain tumors and where they tend to occur.

 

[alphaholic06]

Knowing the location of the tumor and age of the patient can significantly narrow down your choice to the most likely one. For instance, if one of the questions states that the patient is a kid, you can probably narrow it down to pilocytic astrocytoma, medulloblastoma, or ependymoma. If the question points to the cerebellum on the MRI, you can bet it's going to be a medulloblastoma.

I believe that questions like these are fair game, and I actually prefer being asked about brain tumors this way because I suck at identifying cells. But yeah, you basically need to memorize the most common brain tumors and where they tend to occur.

This actually what I did. It was a kid and in the cerebellum, so I choose medulloblastoma, but the answer according to World was pilocytic astrocytoma, which according to World is slightly more common than medulloblastoma. It also said that pilocytic astrocytoma was a cystic tumor with solid areas, while medulloblastoma was strictly a solid tumor and that the two tumors could be differentiated by MRI.

 

[Slide]

This actually what I did. It was a kid and in the cerebellum, so I choose medulloblastoma, but the answer according to World was pilocytic astrocytoma, which according to World is slightly more common than medulloblastoma. It also said that pilocytic astrocytoma was a cystic tumor with solid areas, while medulloblastoma was strictly a solid tumor and that the two tumors could be differentiated by MRI.

Oh, I actually remember that question. My mistake, I should've said astrocytoma if you're going based on most common. I was thinking the one with the worse prognosis, but RR Path confirms that pilocytic astrocytoma is more common. I made that same mistake too on UWorld, so now I better get it right next Saturday 😱

Oh and yes I do believe these questions are fair game, so memorize how common they are!

 

[alphaholic06]

Oh, I actually remember that question. My mistake, I should've said astrocytoma if you're going based on most common. I was thinking the one with the worse prognosis, but RR Path confirms that pilocytic astrocytoma is more common. I made that same mistake too on UWorld, so now I better get it right next Saturday 😱

Oh and yes I do believe these questions are fair game, so memorize how common they are!

Thanks for the reply. I think I have a better handle on it now. I'll be taking my exam this week too. So good luck.