Integumentary System

Question 1

Describe a ‘macule’ and an example

Answer 1

A flat, circumscribed area that is a change in the colour of the skin;
less than 1 cm in diameter

Freckles, flat moles (naevi), petechiae, measles, scarlet fever

Question 2

What is the difference between primary and secondary lesions?

Answer 2

Primary is original appearance, secondary has changed over time.

Question 3

A wart is what?

Answer 3

Papule - An elevated circumscribed area
less than 1 cm in diameter

Question 4

A flat, non-palpable, irregular-shaped macule more than 1 cm in diameter is what?

Answer 4

Patch - examples vitiligo, port of wine stain

Question 5

Psoriasis, seborrhoeic and actinic keratoses are all examples of?

Answer 5

Plaque
Elevated, firm and rough lesion with flat top surface greater than 1 cm in diameter

Question 6

What is a ‘wheal’?

Answer 6

Elevated, irregular-shaped area of cutaneous oedema; solid, transient; variable diameter

Insect bites, urticaria, allergic reaction

Question 7

What is a ‘nodule’?

Answer 7

Elevated, firm, circumscribed lesion;
deeper in dermis than a papule;
1–2 cm in diameter

Erythaema nodosum, lipomas

Question 8

What is a tumour?

Answer 8

Elevated, solid lesion; may be clearly demarcated; deeper in dermis; greater than 2 cm in diameter

Neoplasms, benign tumour, lipoma, haemangioma

Question 9

Varicella (chickenpox), herpes zoster (shingles) are both?

Answer 9

Vesicle

Elevated, circumscribed, superficial, does not extend into dermis; filled with serous fluid; less than 1 cm in diameter

Question 10

A vesicle greater than 1cm in diameter is what?

Answer 10

Bulla

Blister

Question 11

Acne is what?

Answer 11

Pustule

Question 12

Describe a cyst

Answer 12

Elevated, circumscribed, encapsulated lesion; in dermis or subcutaneous layer; filled with liquid or semisolid material

Question 13

Fine, irregular red lines produced by capillary dilation are?

Answer 13

Telangiectasia

Question 14

Describe scale? (secondary lesion)

Answer 14

Heaped-up, keratinised cells; flaky-skin; irregular shape; thick or thin; dry or oily; variation in size

Flaking of skin with seborrhoeic dermatitis following scarlet fever, or flaking of skin following a drug reaction; dry skin

Question 15

Lichenification? (secondary)

Answer 15

Rough, thickened epidermis secondary to persistent rubbing, itching or skin irritation; often involves flexor surface of extremity

Chronic dermatitis

Question 16

What forms after surgery?

Answer 16

Keloid

Irregular-shaped, elevated, progressively enlarging scar; grows beyond the boundaries of the wound; caused by excessive collagen formation during healing

Question 17

When you scratch yourself it is a ?

Answer 17

Excoriation

Loss of the epidermis; linear, hollowed-out, crusted area

Question 18

A fissure is what?

Answer 18

Linear crack or break from the epidermis to the dermis; may be moist or dry

Athletes foot
cracks at side of mouth

Question 19

After you pop a blister it is called a ?

Answer 19

erosion

Question 20

What is an ulcer?

Answer 20

Loss of epidermis and dermis; concave; varies in size

Question 21

Ageing skin is?

Answer 21

Atrophying

Thinning of the skin surface and loss of skin markings

Question 22

Name the three main types of skin cancer and the cells affected in each.

Answer 22

Basal Cell carinoma - basal layer of the epidermis
Squamous cell - keratinocytes in the outer layers of the epidermis
Melanoma - melanocytes

Question 23

Describe Stage One pressure injury

Answer 23

painful, firm, soft, warmer or cooler compared to adjacent tissue.

Question 24

Describe stage two pressure injury (partial thickness)

Answer 24

shallow, open wound with a redpink wound bed, without slough.
Or intact or open/ruptured serum-filled blister.

Question 25

Describe stage three pressure injury (full thickness skin loss)

Answer 25

Subcutaneous fat visible but bone, muscle and tendon isn’t

Question 26

Describe stage four pressure injury (full thickness tissue loss)

Answer 26

exposed bone, muscle or tendon.
Slough or eschar present.

Question 27

Describe unstageable pressure injury

Answer 27

Full thickness tissue loss in which the base of the PI is covered by slough (yellow, tan, grey, green or brown) and/or eschar (tan, brown or black) in the PI bed.

Stage can’t be determined until slough and eschar is removed.