Derm Terms ILM

Question 1

Macule

Answer 1

Small (you can see it, but can’t feel it)

ex: lentigo

Question 2

Patch

Answer 2

large (>1 or 2? cm) flat discoloration

ex: bruise

Question 3

Papule

Answer 3

small (<1cm) bump, palpable lesion

ex: small wart

Question 4

Nodule

Answer 4

Large (>1cm), palpable

ex. nevus

Question 5

Plaque

Answer 5

Large (>1, 2 cm) raised flat topped lesion, usually rough/scaly
Lesion is greater in diameter than it is high; may be formed from coalescing nodules or papules
ex: psoriasis

Question 6

Vesicle

Answer 6

Small (<1cm) blister; elevated epidermis containing clear fluid
ex: herpes

Question 7

Bulla

Answer 7

Large (>1cm) blister; elevated epidermis containing clear fluid
ex: bullous lemphigoid

Question 8

Pustule

Answer 8

Pus filled bump; pus filled raised leasion, papular or nodular
ex: acne

Question 9

Wheal

Answer 9

Raised smooth topped lesion; often with erythematous borders and pale centers; skin is unbroken
Sometimes called “welt”
ex: urticaria

Question 10

Scale

Answer 10

Roughness at surface - represents hyperkeratosis histologically
ex: psoriasis

Question 11

Crust

Answer 11

Dried plasma at surface - represents epithelial disruption

ex: eczema

Question 12

Excoriation

Answer 12

Scratched area - often linear
Loss of epidermis - caused by scratching, picking, burns, etc
ex: eczema

Question 13

Lichenification

Answer 13

Leathery thickening with accentuated skin markings

ex: chronically rubbed skin of eczema

Question 14

Telangiectasia

Answer 14

Dilated capillaries visible through skin surface

ex: sun-damaged face

Question 15

Onycholysis

Answer 15

Separation of nail from bed; may be due to trauma, psoriasis, fungal infection (onchomycosis) and other causes
ex: onychomycosis

Question 16

Atrophy

Answer 16

Sunken thinned area of skin
Thinning of the skin; microscopically shows loss of rete ridges in epidermis; occurs with age
Long term corticosteroid use is a common iatrogenic cause of skin atrophy
ex: corticosteroid induced

Question 17

Hyperkeratosis

Answer 17

thickening of stratum corneum

Question 18

Orthokeratosis

Answer 18

thickening of stratum corneum without retained nuclei

Question 19

Parakeratosis

Answer 19

retained nuclei in stratum corneum (not necessarily with thickening of strarum corneum, hyperkeratosis)

Question 20

Hypergranulosis

Answer 20

increase in thickenss of granular layer

*may be associated with parakeratosis, not always

Question 21

Acanthosis

Answer 21

thickening of epidermis

Question 22

Papillomatosis

Answer 22

mountain and valley pattern in epidermis

Question 23

Dyskeratosis

Answer 23

premature keratinization of keratinocytes

i.e. apoptosis of keratinocyte in basal or spinous layer of epidermis - called a Civatte body or colloid body

Question 24

Apoptosis

Answer 24

single cell death in epidermis

Question 25

Acantholysis

Answer 25

falling apart of keratinocytes - discohesion

Question 26

Spongiosis

Answer 26

intercellular edema - between keratinocytes

Question 27

Ballooning

Answer 27

intracellular edema of keratinocytes; also called hydropic change
often associated with viral infection

*note: edema is better used for extracellular fluid - not good word choice here

Question 28

Exocytosis

Answer 28

lymphocytes migrating into epidermis

Question 29

Erosion

Answer 29

stripping away of stratum corneum

Question 30

Ulceration

Answer 30

complete loss of epidermis

Question 31

Vacuolization

Answer 31

bubbly appearance of epidermal basal layer

Question 32

Atrophy

Answer 32

loss of epidermal rete

Question 33

Palisading

Answer 33

lining up of cells in a row

Question 34

Acral (relating to distribution)

Answer 34

on the extremities especially fingers or toes but also ears or limbs

Question 35

Dermatomal (relating to distribution)

Answer 35

A distribution restricted to one dermatome, such as in recurrence of the chickenpox virus as Shingles. A dermatome is an area of skin supplied by a single sensory spinal nerve. See Netter atlas for the dermatome pattern on the human body

Question 36

Extensor surfaces (relating to distribution)

Answer 36

skin of the elbows and knees that is on the outside of the joint i.e. that is stretched when the joint is flexed

Question 37

Flexural surfaces (relating to distribution)

Answer 37

skin within the flexure of elbows or knees

Question 38

Intertriginous

Answer 38

areas where skin touches and/or rubs against other skin

e.g. in the axillae, under the breasts of women