A 35-year-old woman presents with episodic wheezing, dyspnea, and cough for 5 years. Lung biopsy obtained during an episode shows basement membrane thickening, submucosal gland hypertrophy, and eosinophilic infiltration of bronchial walls. The mucus plugs contain spiral-shaped condensations of shed epithelium. These are called:
- A Charcot-Leyden crystals
- B Curschmann spirals ✓
- C Ferruginous bodies
- D Creola bodies
Correct answer: B. Curschmann spirals
Explanation
Curschmann spirals are spiral-shaped mucus plugs containing shed bronchial epithelium, characteristic of asthma. Charcot-Leyden crystals (option A) are needle-shaped crystals formed from eosinophil phospholipase, also seen in asthma but distinct from the spirals. Ferruginous bodies (option C) are asbestos fibers. Creola bodies (option D) are clusters of shed epithelial cells seen in bronchoalveolar lavage in acute eosinophilic pneumonia.
Reference: Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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