Examination Of A lump Flashcards
What are the five stages of examining a lump?
Look, feel, move, specific tests, regional lymph nodes
What are the five things when inspecting a lump?
(1) location/position (2) contour (3) colour of the overlying skin (4) abnormalities in the overlying skin (5) abnormal vessels
How do you measure the location of a lump?
Measure it from a landmark
What are the options when looking at contour?
Regular or irregular
What are you looking for in the colour of the overlying skin of a lump?
It can either be erythematous or pigmented
Give an example of abnormalities in the overlying skin of a lump?
Peau d’orange
Give an example of abnormal vessels of a lump?
Telangiectasia
What 10 things you are feeling for in a lump?
Surface, shape, size, tenderness, temperature, cough impulse, consistency, compressible, fluctuations, pulsatile or expansile
Give 3 examples of the surface of a lump
Smooth, regular or irregular
Give 7 examples of consistency of a lump?
Soft, firm, hard, rubbery, uniform, varied, lobulated
What does it mean if a lump is pulsatile?
High blood flow
What does it mean if a lump is expansile?
It’s aneurysmal
What 3 things are you looking for when moving a lump?
Skin tethering, tethering to deeper structures and tethering to muscles and tendons
How do you measure skin tethering?
Attempt to pick up a fold of skin over the swelling and compare the degree of tethering with the other side
How do you determine if a lump is tethered to deeper structures?
Attempt to move the swelling in different planes relative to the surrounding tissues
