Pathology · single question
Which term describes the finding of NORMAL tissue in an ABNORMAL location in the body?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Choristoma
Choristoma = normal cells in an ABNORMAL location (ectopic normal tissue). Example: pancreatic tissue in the stomach wall, or sebaceous glands on the oral mucosa. Hamartoma = disorganized overgrowth of NORMAL tissues in their NORMAL location (e.g., osteoma cutis, Cowden syndrome lesions). Teratoma = tumor from all three germ layers in an abnormal location. Neoplasm = uncontrolled cell growth with loss of normal differentiation.
- A. Incorrect. Teratoma is a germ cell tumor containing tissues from all three germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, ectoderm) — it is a neoplasm, not simply normal tissue in a wrong location.
- B. Incorrect. Hamartoma is a disorganized overgrowth of normal tissue elements in their NORMAL location — not an abnormal location.
- C. CORRECT. Choristoma = normal tissue found in an abnormal anatomical location (ectopic normal tissue, not neoplastic).
- D. Incorrect. Neoplasm refers to any autonomous, uncontrolled cell growth (benign or malignant) — it implies abnormal cell proliferation, not merely location.