AM VaultPractice questions › Adult health: surgery › Back pain and red flags
Back pain and red flags
A practice question in the style of the AMC Part 1 MCQ exam. Choose your answer to see the explanation.
A 34-year-old man who injects drugs has suspected vertebral osteomyelitis. Which investigations are most important?
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The answer is D: MRI of the spine and blood cultures.
MRI shows infection early, and blood cultures often identify Staphylococcus aureus.
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This question comes from Week 12 of AM Vault: Bones and joints. That week has 131 more exam-style questions like it, 5 short lessons and 150 flashcards. The course starts free with Week 1 and reaches this topic in week 12, as part of a six-month plan with full mock exams along the way.
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