13: Morphological terms

Question 1

ABCDE of skin lesions

Answer 1

Assymmetry

Border irregularity

Colour(s)

Diameter

Evolving?

Question 2

What is a lesion?

Answer 2

Small area of disease

Question 3

What is an eruption / rash?

Answer 3

Widespread area of disease, usually involving several lesions

Question 4

What is a macule?

Answer 4

Flat, circumscribed, non-palpable lesion

usually associated with colour change e.g Cafe au lait macules

Question 5

What is a papule?

Answer 5

Small, circumscribed, palpable lesion <5mm in size

Question 6

What is a nodule?

Answer 6

Small, circumscribed, palpable lesion > 5mm in size

Question 7

What is a vesicle?

Answer 7

Blister of clear fluid, < 5mm

Question 8

What is a bulla?

Answer 8

Blister of clear fluid, > 5mm

Question 9

What is a patch?

Answer 9

A macule > 2cm in diameter

Question 10

What is a plaque?

Answer 10

A raised patch

Question 11

What is a pustule?

Answer 11

A pus filled blister

Question 12

What is a cyst?

Answer 12

Pus-filled cavity lined by epithelium

Question 13

What is a wheal?

Answer 13

Transitory bubble of oedema usually associated with urticaria

Question 14

What is an ulcer?

Answer 14

Circumscribed area of skin loss penetrating the dermis