MRCPUK Endocrinology and Diabetes (Specialty Certificate Examination) Sample Questions:

1. A 35-year-old woman was referred with a left lower thyroid lesion. She was asymptomatic.
Examination confirmed the presence of a 2 ? 3-cm, firm, mobile, non-tender mass.
Investigations:
ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsyThy 5
How is Thy 5 defined?

A) follicular lesions
B) non-neoplastic (consistent with nodular goitre or thyroiditis)
C) non-diagnostic or inadequate
D) abnormal, diagnostic of malignancy
E) abnormal, suspicious (but not diagnostic of) malignancy

2. A 26-year-old woman presented acutely with abdominal pain. On examination, her blood pressure was 124/72 mmHg.
Investigations:
24-h urinary dopamine10 000 nmol (<3100)
24-h urinary adrenaline43 nmol (<144)
24-h urinary noradrenaline146 nmol (<570)
CT scan of abdomen3-cm left para-aortic mass
She underwent surgical exploration and removal of the lesion, which proved to be a paraganglioma. One local lymph node, removed at the same time, was also positive for the presence of tumour.
What is the most likely underlying genetic syndrome?

A) succinate dehydrogenase type B mutation
B) neurofibromatosis type 1 mutation
C) Gardner's syndrome
D) multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2a
E) von Hippel-Lindau syndrome

3. A 24-year-old man was referred for investigation of infertility. He had been having unprotected intercourse with his partner for 18 months, but the couple had failed to conceive. He had been treated for Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 17.
What is the most appropriate investigation?

A) serum inhibin
B) testicular biopsy
C) semen analysis
D) serum follicle-stimulating hormone
E) serum testosterone

4. A 40-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of increasing central obesity. His medical history included HIV infection and allergic rhinitis. He was taking highly active antiretroviral therapy and nasal fluticasone.
On examination, he had marked central adiposity. His blood pressure was 160/95 mmHg.
Investigations:
serum sodium140 mmol/L (137-144)
serum potassium3.8 mmol/L (3.5-4.9)
serum cholesterol5.5 mmol/L (<5.2)
fasting serum triglycerides8.20 mmol/L (0.45-1.69)
serum cortisol (09.00 h)<50 nmol/L (200-700)
serum thyroid-stimulating hormone4.6 mU/L (0.4-5.0)
serum free T49.3 pmol/L (10.0-22.0)
What is the most likely diagnosis?

A) glucocorticoid resistance
B) Addison's disease
C) hypothyroidism
D) Cushing's syndrome
E) HIV-associated lipodystrophy

5. A 36-year-old man of African origin attended the clinic 2 weeks after discharge from hospital following his first admission with diabetic ketoacidosis. He had made a rapid recovery and had been discharged taking subcutaneous insulin twice daily.
At clinic, he reported home blood glucose measurements of 4-6mmol/L, occasional symptomatichypoglycaemia and a total daily insulin dose of 12 units. He asked if his glucose-lowering treatment should change.
Which test is most likely to predict prolonged insulin independence?

A) anti-islet cell antibodies
B) genotyping for monogenic diabetes
C) fasting C-peptide concentration
D) anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies
E) glucagon-stimulated C-peptide concentration

Solutions: