Differential Diagnosis in Physical Therapy
Final Test Solutions
Course Introduction
This course explores the systematic process of differential diagnosis as applied within the field of physical therapy. Emphasizing clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice, students learn to distinguish between musculoskeletal and non-musculoskeletal conditions, identify red and yellow flags, and recognize when a patients presentation requires referral to another healthcare professional. Through case studies, interactive discussions, and practical applications, the course builds skills for comprehensive patient assessment, critical thinking, and decision-making to support safe and effective physical therapy intervention.
Recommended Textbook
Differential Diagnosis for Physical Therapists 5th Edition by Catherine C. Goodman
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18 Chapters
276 Verified Questions
276 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/study-set/839 Page 2
Chapter 1: Introduction to Screening for Referral in Physical Therapy
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16667
Sample Questions
Q1) According to the Goodman Screening for Referral Model, what should be done first when screening a patient?
A) Medical history
B) Personal and family history
C) Risk factor assessment
D) Clinical presentation
Answer: A
Q2) Symptoms that present bilaterally are always
A) Yellow flags
B) Red flags
C) Originated in the peripheral nervous system
D) Originated in the central nervous system
Answer: B
Q3) Which of the following is a symptom?
A) Unusual skin color
B) Hematoma
C) Effusion
D) Pain
Answer: D
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Chapter 2: Interviewing as a Screening Tool
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) There are several signs that might give a clue to the therapist that a client is functionally illiterate. Which of the following is not one of these signs?
A) Misspelled words
B) Not completing intake forms
C) Identifying pills by looking at the pill rather than naming the medication from the label
D) Circling "yes" through all questions on a personal history form
Answer: D
Q2) What is the most common primary risk factor for disease, illness, and comorbidities?
A) Gender
B) Age
C) Smoking
D) Diabetes
Answer: B
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Chapter 3: Pain Types and Viscerogenic Pain Patterns
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Visceral diseases of the abdomen and pelvis are likely to refer pain where?
A) To the shoulders
B) To the back
C) To the arms
D) To the legs
Answer: B
Q2) Which of the following should be used to rate pain in an infant?
A) Visual analog scale (VAS)
B) FACES Pain Scale (FPS)
C) Verbal descriptor scale (VDS)
D) Child Facial Coding System (CFCS)
Answer: D
Q3) When a child is born with an abnormal ear, what part of the body should be examined first for similar dysfunction?
A) Contralateral lung
B) Ipsilateral lung
C) Contralateral kidney
D) Ipsilateral kidney
Answer: D
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Physical Assessment as a Screening Tool
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16 Verified Questions
16 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What visceral system is most likely to cause pruritus?
A) Hepatic system
B) Cardiopulmonary system
C) Gastrointestinal system
D) Genitourinary system
Q2) The therapist is beginning a sensation screening for a client. If pain sensation is normal, what portion of a sensation screening can be omitted?
A) Light touch
B) Sharp/dull
C) Temperature
D) Vibration
Q3) Malignant melanomas usually present with which of the following characteristics?
A) Smooth borders
B) Single color throughout the lesion
C) Less than ¼ inch in size
D) Uneven edges
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Chapter 5: Screening for Hematologic Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following are primary bleeding sites associated with thrombocytopenia?
A) Bone marrow/spleen
B) Mucosa/bone marrow
C) Mucosa/skin
D) Mucosa/brain
Q2) What vitamin primarily affects the function of platelets?
A) Vitamin A
B) Vitamin B
C) Vitamin C
D) Vitamin K
Q3) What is the most common site of bleeding in an individual with hemophilia?
A) Muscles
B) Brain
C) Lungs
D) Joints
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Chapter 6: Screening for Cardiovascular Disease
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16 Verified Questions
16 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The physical therapist begins an examination of a patient who is currently taking statin medications. The patient complains of muscle aches and joint pain. The physical therapist decides to request the latest laboratory values. What two laboratory values would be abnormally high if the patient were having an adverse reaction to the statin medication?
A) White blood cell count and serum liver enzymes
B) White blood cell count and creatine kinase
C) White blood cell and erythrocyte
D) Serum liver enzymes and creatine kinase
Q2) What is the greatest risk factor in predicting cardiovascular problems in women?
A) Diabetes
B) Family history
C) Advancing age
D) Birth control pills
Q3) Cardiac referred pain that radiates down the arm follows the distribution of what nerve?
A) Musculocutaneous
B) Median
C) Radial
D) Ulnar
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Chapter 7: Screening for Pulmonary Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the usual cause of respiratory alkalosis?
A) Overdose of respiratory depressant drugs
B) Obstruction of lung airways
C) Weakness of respiratory muscles
D) Hyperventilation
Q2) Chronic bronchitis is characterized by
A) Mucous hypersecretion and hypertrophy of mucus-producing cells in the bronchi
B) Mucous hypersecretion and atrophy of mucus-producing cells in the bronchi
C) Mucous hyposecretion and hypertrophy of mucus-producing cells in the bronchi
D) Mucous hyposecretion and atrophy of mucus-producing cells in the bronchi
Q3) What is the most common cause of Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR)?
A) Basilar artery infarct
B) Congestive heart failure
C) Damage to the medulla
D) Paralysis of the chest wall muscles and thorax
Q4) What type of emphysema usually occurs in the upper lung regions?
A) Centrilobular emphysema
B) Panlobular emphysema
C) Paraseptal emphysema
D) Panacinar emphysema
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Chapter 8: Screening for Gastrointestinal Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Palpation of McBurney's point is essential in the examination of a patient with possible acute appendicitis. Where is McBurney's point?
A) Halfway between the umbilicus and xiphoid process
B) Halfway between the umbilicus and the pubic symphysis
C) Halfway between the umbilicus and the left lower rib
D) Halfway between the umbilicus and the ASIS
Q2) Where will patients with diverticulitis complain of pain?
A) Right upper quadrant
B) Left upper quadrant
C) Right lower quadrant
D) Left lower quadrant
Q3) An abnormality of which of the following structures is likely to result in a muscle spasm of the rectus abdominis below the umbilicus?
A) Stomach
B) Appendix
C) Gallbladder
D) Liver
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Chapter 9: Screening for Hepatic and Biliary Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following types of hepatitis does not have a carrier state?
A) Hepatitis A
B) Hepatitis B
C) Hepatitis C
D) Hepatitis D
Q2) Musculoskeletal pain associated with the liver refers to what anatomic location?
A) Right shoulder
B) Left shoulder
C) Right hip
D) Left hip
Q3) In what stage of hepatic encephalopathy would the client begin to have resistance to passive movement with increased muscle tone?
A) Stage I
B) Stage II
C) Stage III
D) Stage IV
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11
Chapter 10: Screening for Urogenital Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) What type of incontinence is marked by a weak or underactive detrusor muscle?
A) Stress incontinence
B) Urge incontinence
C) Overflow incontinence
D) Functional incontinence
Q2) At what stage of prostate cancer can the cancerous tumor first be palpated during a rectal examination?
A) Stage I
B) Stage II
C) Stage III
D) Stage IV
Q3) Which of the following would be considered an upper urinary tract infection?
A) Bladder infection
B) Cystitis
C) Urethritis
D) Ureteral infections
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Chapter 11: Screening for Endocrine and Metabolic Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is an example of autonomic nervous system involvement with diabetes?
A) Foot drop
B) Carpal tunnel syndrome
C) Numbness and burning in the feet
D) Impaired bladder function
Q2) Which of the following would cause central diabetes insipidus?
A) Pituitary trauma
B) Medication overdose
C) Alcohol
D) Hypercalcemia
Q3) What thyroid disorder is marked by protruding of the eyes?
A) Hypothyroidism
B) Thyroiditis
C) Hashimoto's thyroiditis
D) Hyperthyroidism
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13
Chapter 12: Screening for Immunologic Disease
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following is correct advice to give a client with fibromyalgia?
A) Begin a jogging program.
B) Ice affected joints.
C) Get 8-10 hours of sleep at night.
D) Stretch painful muscles eight to 10 times per day.
Q2) Which of the following is not true regarding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
A) It is more likely to affect women than men.
B) It is rare in older people.
C) All clients will have nearly the same clinical presentation.
D) There is no known gene associated with SLE.
Q3) Which type of hypersensitivity occurs 24 to 72 hours after exposure to an allergen?
A) Type I
B) Type II
C) Type III
D) Type IV
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14
Chapter 13: Screening for Cancer
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16 Verified Questions
16 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which type of cancer normally is associated with hypercalcemia?
A) Breast cancer
B) Brain cancer
C) Skin cancer
D) Colorectal cancer
Q2) Which of the following is the most serious of skin cancers?
A) Nonmelanoma skin cancer
B) Basal cell cancer
C) Squamous cell cancer
D) Melanoma
Q3) What type of cancer most commonly causes death?
A) Breast cancer
B) Prostate cancer
C) Stomach cancer
D) Lung cancer
Q4) What is the most common primary tumor to metastasize to the brain?
A) Colorectal cancer
B) Pancreatic cancer
C) Breast cancer
D) Lung cancer
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Chapter 14: Screening the Head, Neck, and Back
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A patient with complaints of lumbar/thoracic pain finds relief when lying on the involved side. What information does this convey to the therapist?
A) The patient should be screened for possible pulmonary involvement.
B) The patient should be screened for possible genitourinary involvement.
C) The patient should be screened for possible gastrointestinal involvement.
D) The patient should be screened for possible neurogenic claudication.
Q2) Ovarian cysts present as part of the polycystic ovary syndrome put a woman at risk for what medical conditions?
A) Renal failure and osteoporosis
B) Insulin resistance and osteoporosis
C) Renal failure and cardiovascular disease
D) Insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease
Q3) Which of the following individuals has the highest likelihood of vertebral fracture?
A) 32-year-old man
B) 32-year-old woman
C) 80-year-old man
D) 80-year-old woman
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Chapter 15: Screening the Sacrum, Sacroiliac, and Pelvis
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following will not generally refer pain to the sacrum or sacroiliac joint area?
A) Liver disease
B) Endocarditis
C) Prostate cancer
D) Paget's disease
Q2) What is the most common symptom of Paget's disease?
A) Redness and warmth over the involved areas
B) Multiple fractures
C) Blood in the urine
D) Bone pain
Q3) What is the most common gynecologic cancer?
A) Uterine cancer
B) Ovarian cancer
C) Extraovarian primary peritoneal carcinoma
D) Cervical cancer
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16 Verified Questions
16 Flashcards
Source URL: https://quizplus.com/quiz/16682
Sample Questions
Q1) Meralgia paresthetica involves compression of what nerve?
A) Femoral nerve
B) Popliteal nerve
C) Common peroneal nerve
D) Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve
Q2) What gait patterns are common with intraarticular hip pain?
A) Lean away from the affected hip and shorten the swing phase of the affected hip
B) Lean toward the affected hip and shorten the swing phase of the affected hip
C) Lean away from the affected hip and lengthen the swing phase of the affected hip
D) Lean toward the affected hip and lengthen the swing phase of the affected hip
Q3) Of the choices provided where does ureteral pain usually occur?
A) Lateral hip
B) Buttocks
C) Costovertebral angle
D) Thoracic spine
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18
Chapter 17: Screening the Chest, Breasts, and Ribs
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15 Verified Questions
15 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Cocaine abuse has a profound effect on which chamber of the heart?
A) Left atrium
B) Left ventricle
C) Right atrium
D) Right ventricle
Q2) Which of the following is not a common symptom associated with metastasis to the pulmonary system?
A) Pleural pain
B) Dyspnea
C) Hyperventilation
D) Persistent cough
Q3) Which of the following is not a characteristic of unstable angina?
A) Trunk rotation/side bending reduces symptoms.
B) Pain occurs without exertion.
C) Pain lasts longer than 10 minutes.
D) Pain is not relieved by nitroglycerin.
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Chapter 18: Screening the Shoulder and Upper Extremity
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17 Verified Questions
17 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Adhesive capsulitis is not normally associated with which of the following conditions?
A) Diabetes mellitus
B) Hypothyroidism
C) Ischemic heart disease
D) Lung disease
Q2) Damage to the spleen is likely to refer pain to what anatomic location?
A) Left shoulder
B) Right shoulder
C) Left elbow
D) Right elbow
Q3) A physician suspects urinary tract referred pain in a patient with right shoulder complaints. What part of the urinary system would refer pain to the right shoulder?
A) Right upper urinary tract
B) Left upper urinary tract
C) Right lower urinary tract
D) Left lower urinary tract
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