Question

All of the following conditions are associated with granulomatous pathology, except:

• A. Wegener's granulomatosis (granulomatosis with polyangiitis)
• B. Takayasu arteritis
• C. Polyarteritis nodosa (classic PAN)
• D. Giant cell arteritis

Hint:

Three are granulomatous; classic PAN shows fibrinoid necrosis instead.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Define granulomatous inflammation. A granuloma is a focal collection of activated macrophages (epithelioid cells), often with giant cells. The question asks which listed vasculitis does NOT show granulomas.
Step 2: Check the granulomatous vasculitides. Wegener's granulomatosis shows necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of the respiratory tract and kidneys. Takayasu arteritis is a granulomatous large-vessel vasculitis of the aorta. Giant cell (temporal) arteritis is a granulomatous vasculitis with multinucleated giant cells in the arterial wall. So A, B, and D are all granulomatous.
Step 3: Examine polyarteritis nodosa. Classic PAN is a necrotizing vasculitis of medium-sized arteries marked by fibrinoid necrosis and a mixed inflammatory infiltrate. It is not granulomatous.
Step 4: Select the exception. Since PAN lacks granulomas while the other three are granulomatous, PAN is the odd one out.
Conclusion: The condition not associated with granulomatous pathology is polyarteritis nodosa. The answer is option C.