Organ System Pathology USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 35 year old woman presents with weight gain, proximal muscle weakness, easy bruising, and irregular menses. Her 24 hour urinary free cortisol is elevated. Low dose dexamethasone fails to suppress cortisol, but high dose dexamethasone causes a marked decrease in cortisol production. Which of the following is the most likely source of her hypercortisolism?
Answer choices
- AAdrenal cortical carcinoma
- BAdrenal cortical adenoma
- CPituitary corticotroph adenomaCorrect answer
- DExogenous glucocorticoid use
- EEctopic ACTH secretion from small cell carcinoma
- FEctopic CRH secretion from a neuroendocrine tumor
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