Diagnosis of Poisoning (Living & Dead) MCQ Quiz | General Toxicology

Welcome to this specialized quiz on the Diagnosis of Poisoning, a critical area within General Toxicology for MBBS students. This quiz is designed to test your understanding of clinical and post-mortem diagnostics, covering essential topics from identifying toxidromes in living patients to interpreting autopsy findings in the deceased. You will encounter questions on sample collection, preservation, laboratory analysis, and pathognomonic signs associated with various common poisons. This assessment will help you solidify your knowledge for both academic examinations and future clinical practice. After submitting your answers, you can review your score and download a PDF of all questions with the correct answers for your revision. Good luck!

1. A patient presents with bradycardia, miosis, excessive salivation, lacrimation, and urination. This constellation of signs (SLUDGE) is characteristic of which toxidrome?

2. In a deceased individual, bright cherry-red post-mortem lividity is a classical finding highly suggestive of poisoning with:

3. Gastric lavage is contraindicated in the management of a patient who has ingested:

4. For chemical analysis in a suspected poisoning death, viscera are best preserved in:

5. A distinct smell of bitter almonds from the body or viscera during autopsy is strongly indicative of poisoning by:

6. Which of the following poisons is radio-opaque and may be visible on an abdominal X-ray?

7. The presence of Mees’ lines (transverse white bands on nails) is a delayed sign of chronic poisoning with:

8. A patient is brought to the emergency room with respiratory depression, pinpoint pupils, and altered mental status. This clinical triad is pathognomonic for poisoning with:

9. In a case of suspected fatal methanol poisoning, which specific finding is expected during autopsy in the brain?

10. The Burtonian line, a bluish line on the gums, is a classic sign of chronic poisoning by:

11. A patient presents with dry mouth, blurred vision, mydriasis, tachycardia, and hyperthermia. This anticholinergic syndrome is often described by the phrase:

12. In post-mortem toxicology, which sample is most useful for detecting acute drug or alcohol consumption just prior to death?

13. A farm worker is exposed to a pesticide and develops cholinergic symptoms. Blood tests reveal significantly depressed levels of which enzyme?

14. The finding of calcium oxalate crystals in the renal tubules during microscopic examination of the kidney at autopsy is characteristic of poisoning by:

15. A garlicky or fishy odor from the stomach contents is a classic sign associated with ingestion of:

16. The rapid urine dithionite test is used for the qualitative diagnosis of which poison?

17. In a suspected case of death due to corrosive acid ingestion, the autopsy finding of hardened, leathery, and blackened stomach mucosa is termed:

18. Prominent alopecia (hair loss) developing a few weeks after exposure is a hallmark feature of poisoning with:

19. In a deceased person, chocolate-brown or brownish post-mortem lividity suggests the formation of methemoglobin, which is caused by poisoning with:

20. The primary diagnostic clue for kerosene poisoning in a living patient, especially a child, is:

21. At autopsy, greenish discoloration of the brain and other viscera, along with a smell of rotten eggs, points towards death from which gas?

22. What is the main reason for collecting vitreous humor during a forensic autopsy?

23. “Luminosity of vomitus” or glowing feces/vomit in the dark is a rare but pathognomonic sign of poisoning with:

24. A patient bitten by a snake develops ptosis, dysphagia, and respiratory paralysis without significant local swelling or bleeding. This clinical picture is typical of envenomation by a:

25. In the diagnosis of heavy metal poisoning, a 24-hour urine collection is often challenged with a chelating agent to increase excretion and aid detection. A common agent used for this diagnostic purpose is: