Med Term - Ch 4 Flashcards
Define cutaneous
ku-TA-ne-us
Pertaining to the skin (from Latin cutis, meaning “skin”)
Define derma
DER-mah
Skin (from Greek)
Define dermis
DER-mis
The layer of the skin between the epidermis and the subcutaneous tissue; the true skin or corium
Define epidermis
ep-ih-DER-mis
The outermost layer of the skin (from epi-, meaning “upon or over” and derm, meaning “skin”)
Define hair
har
A thread-like keratinized outgrowth from the skin (root: trich/o)
Define hair
har
A thread-like keratinized outgrowth from the skin (root: trich/o)
Define hair follicle
FOL-ih-kl
The sheath in which a hair develops
Define integumentary system
in-teg-u-MEN-tah-re
The skin and its associated glands, hair, and nails
Define keratin
KER-ah-tin
A protein that thickens and toughens the skin and makes up hair and nails (root: kerat/o)
Define melanin
MEL-ah-nin
A dark pigment that gives color to the hair and skin and protects the skin against the sun’s radiation (root: melan/o)
Define nail
nale
A plate-like keratinized outgrowth of the skin that covers the dorsal surface of the terminal phalanges (root: onych/o)
Define sebaceous gland
se-BA-shus
A skin gland that produces sebum; usually associated with a hair follicle (root: seb/o)
Define sebum
SE-bum
A fatty secretion of the sebaceous glands that lubricates the hair and skin (root: seb/o)
Define skin
The tissue that covers the body; the integument (roots: derm/o, dermat/o)
Define subcutaneous layer
sub-ku-TA-ne-us
The layer of tissue beneath the skin; also called the hypodermis
Define sweat gland
swet
A gland that releases a watery fluid (perspiration) to the skin surface in order to cool the body. Certain sweat glands, located mainly in the armpits and groin area, release secretions with some cellular material in response to stress. A sudoriferous (su-dor-IF-er-us) gland. (root: hidr/o)
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Derm/o, Dermat/o
Meaning: Skin
Example: Dermabrasion
Definition of: Surgical procedure used to resurface the skin and remove imperfections
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Kerat/o
Meaning: Keratin, Horny layer of the skin.
Example: Keratinous (keh-RAT-in-nus
Definition of: Containing keratin, Horny
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Melan/o
Meaning: Dark Black, Melanin
Example: Melanosome (MEL-ah-no-some)
Definition of: A small cellular body that produces melanin.
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Hidr/o
Meaning: Sweat, Perspiration
Example: Anhidrous
Definition of: Absence of sweating
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Seb/o
Meaning: Sebum, Sebaceous gland
Example: Seborrhea (Seborrheic)
Definition of: Excess slow of sebum
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Trick/o
Meaning: Hair
Example: Trichomycosis
Definition of: Fungal infection of the hair.
Roots pertaining to the skin and associated structures:
Onych/o
Meaning: Nail
Example: Onychia (o-NIK-e-ah)
Definition of: Inflammation of the nail and nail bed (Note: not an -itis ending)
Types of Skin Lesions:
bulla
BUL-ah
raised, fluid-filled lesion larger than a vesicle (plural: bullae)
Types of Skin Lesions:
fissure
FISH-ure
crack or break in the skin
Types of Skin Lesions:
macule
MAK-ule
flat, colored spot less than 1 cm in size. A larger spot is called a patch
Types of Skin Lesions:
nodule
NOD-ule
solid, raised lesion larger than a papule; often indicative of systemic disease
Types of Skin Lesions:
papule
PAP-ule
firm, circular, raised surface lesion less than 1 cm in size, such as a pimple
Types of Skin Lesions:
plaque
plak
superficial, flat, or slightly raised differentiated patch more than 1 cm in diameter
Types of Skin Lesions:
pustule
PUS-tule
raised pus-filled lesion; often in a hair follicle or sweat pore
Types of Skin Lesions:
ulcer
UL-ser
lesion resulting from destruction of the skin and perhaps subcutaneous tissue
Types of Skin Lesions:
vesicle
VES-ih-kl
fluid-filled, raised lesion less than 5 mm in size; a blister or bleb
Types of Skin Lesions:
wheal
wele
smooth, rounded, slightly raised area often associated with itching; seen in urticaria (hives), such as that resulting from allergy
Define atopic dermatitis
ah-TOP-ik der-mah-TI-tis
Hereditary, allergic, chronic skin inflammation with pruritus (itching); eczema
Define basal cell carcinoma
BA-sal
An epithelial tumor that rarely metastasizes and has a high cure rate with surgical removal
Define cicatrization
sik-ah-trih-ZA-shun
The process of scar formation; a scar is a cicatrix (SIK-ah-triks)
Define debridement
da-brede-MON
Removal of dead or damaged tissue, as from a wound
Define dehiscence
de-HIS-ens
Splitting or bursting, as when the layers of a wound separate
Define dermatitis
der-mah-TI-tis
Inflammation of the skin, often associated with redness and itching; may be caused by allergy, irritants (contact dermatitis), or a variety of diseases.
Define dermatology
der-mah-TOL-o-je
Study of the skin and diseases of the skin
Define dermatome
DER-mah-tome
Instrument for cutting thin skin sections for grafting
Define eczema
EK-ze-mah
A general term for skin inflammation with redness, lesions, and itching; atopic dermatitis
Define erythema
er-ih-THE-mah
Diffuse redness of the skin
Define escharotomy
es-kar-OT-o-me
Removal of scab tissue resulting from burns or other skin injuries; a scab or crust is an eschar (ES-kar)
Define evisceration
e-vis-er-A-shun
Protrusion of internal organs (viscera) through an opening, as through a wound
Define exudate
EKS-u-date
Material, which may include fluid, cells, pus, or blood, that escapes from damaged tissue
Define Kaposi sarcoma
KAP-o-se
Cancerous lesion of the skin and other tissues seen most often in patients with AIDS
Define keloid
KE-loyd
A raised, thickened scar caused by tissue overgrowth during scar formation
Define lupus erythematosus (LE)
LU-pus er-ih-the-mah-TO-sis
A chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of connective tissue that often involves the skin; types include the more widespread systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a discoid form (DLE) that involves only the skin
Define melanoma
mel-ah-NO-mah
A metastasizing pigmented skin tumor that arises from melanocytes; malignant melanoma
Define pemphigus
PEM-fih-gus
An autoimmune disease of the skin characterized by sudden, intermittent formation of bullae (blisters); may be fatal if untreated
Define pressure ulcer
An ulcer caused by pressure to an area of the body, as from a bed or chair; decubitus (de-KU-bih-tus) ulcer, bedsore, pressure sore
Define pruritus
pru-RI-tus
Severe itching
Define psoriasis
so-RI-ah-sis
A chronic hereditary dermatitis with red lesions covered by silvery scales
Define rule of nines
A method for estimating the extent of body surface area involved in a burn by assigning percentages in multiples of nine to various body regions
Define scleroderma
sklere-o-DER-mah
A chronic disease that is characterized by thickening and tightening of the skin and that often involves internal organs in a form called progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS)
Define squamous cell carcinoma
SKWA-mus
An epidermal cancer that may invade deeper tissues but tends not to metastasize
