Differential of Maxillary Swelling/Nasal Mass MCQ Quiz | Nose & Paranasal Sinuses

1. A 15-year-old male presents with recurrent, profuse unilateral epistaxis and nasal obstruction. On examination, a reddish-purple mass is seen in the nasopharynx. What is the most likely diagnosis?

2. A 55-year-old male presents with unilateral nasal obstruction. Endoscopy reveals a “cauliflower-like” growth originating from the lateral nasal wall. Biopsy is taken. This lesion has a known potential for malignant transformation into which of the following?

3. A 65-year-old smoker presents with facial pain, proptosis, and loosening of the upper teeth. A mass is suspected in the maxillary sinus. What is the most common malignancy found in this location?

4. A CT scan of a young patient with facial asymmetry shows a well-defined, expansile lesion in the maxilla with a characteristic “ground-glass” appearance. What is the most probable diagnosis?

5. A patient with a history of asthma and aspirin sensitivity presents with bilateral, grape-like masses filling the nasal cavities. This condition is known as:

6. A painless, slow-growing swelling of the hard palate is associated with a non-vital maxillary incisor on radiographic examination. This is most likely a:

7. An immunocompromised patient with diabetic ketoacidosis presents with fever, facial pain, and a black eschar in the nasal cavity. This is highly suggestive of:

8. A patient known to have Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) is most likely to present with which nasal deformity?

9. A CT scan reveals a smooth, homogenous, non-enhancing, expansile lesion causing thinning of the bony walls of the frontal sinus. This description is classic for a:

10. A mass arising from the superior nasal cavity, showing a “dumbbell” shape as it extends through the cribriform plate into the anterior cranial fossa, is characteristic of:

11. An orthopantomogram (OPG) taken for dental reasons reveals a unilocular radiolucency surrounding the crown of an unerupted mandibular third molar. This finding is most consistent with:

12. The most common benign tumor of the paranasal sinuses, often found incidentally on imaging and typically located in the fronto-ethmoidal region, is:

13. Which histological feature is characteristic of an inverted papilloma?

14. Occupational exposure to wood dust is a well-established risk factor for which type of sinonasal malignancy?

15. Which imaging modality is superior for evaluating soft tissue detail, perineural spread, and intracranial extension of a nasal mass?

16. A newborn presents with a bluish, compressible mass at the root of the nose that enlarges when the baby cries or strains (positive Furstenberg’s test). This is most likely a(n):

17. The “double-density” sign on a non-contrast CT scan, representing hyperdense inspissated mucus surrounded by hypodense mucosal edema, is characteristic of:

18. What is the standard initial management step for a large, actively bleeding Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma (JNA) before surgical excision?

19. A patient presents with foul-smelling, cheesy, unilateral nasal discharge. A CT scan reveals a calcified mass within the nasal cavity. The most likely diagnosis is:

20. In Asian populations, a destructive midline nasal mass associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is most likely to be:

21. The most common site of origin for squamous cell carcinoma within the paranasal sinuses is the:

22. A rapidly growing maxillary swelling in an adolescent, with a “sun-ray” or “sunburst” appearance on an occlusal radiograph, is highly suspicious for:

23. The appearance of “strawberry-like” lesions on the nasal mucosa, which are friable and bleed easily, is a classic finding in:

24. A firm, rubbery, painless swelling in the canine fossa that does not transilluminate and is not associated with any dental pathology is likely a:

25. Holman-Miller sign (antral bowing of posterior maxillary wall) is a characteristic radiological finding in: