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Medical scribe > Physical exam terminology > Flashcards

Physical exam terminology Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 flashcards
1
Q

A&O

A

alert & oriented

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2
Q

A&O x3

A

alert and oriented to person, place, and time

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3
Q

abduction

A

movement away from the midline

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4
Q

abrasion

A

scrape of the skin

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5
Q

abscess

A

collection of pus beneath the skin

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6
Q

accessory muscle usage

A

using extra muscles other than the diaphragm to help breathe

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7
Q

adduction

A

movement toward the midline

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8
Q

afebrile

A

without fever

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9
Q

affect

A

expressed emotional/ social response

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10
Q

alert

A

awake and attentive

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11
Q

ambulatory

A

able to walk

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12
Q

anisocoria

A

unequal pupil size

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13
Q

antalgic gait

A

limping, gait that can develop to avoid pain while walking

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14
Q

anterior

A

in front of or directed to the front

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15
Q

arrhythmia

A

abnormal heart rhythm

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16
Q

AT/NC

A

atraumatic/ normocephalic

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17
Q

ataxia

A

loss of coordination

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18
Q

atraumatic

A

without trauma

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19
Q

atraumatic/ normocephalic (AT/NC)

A

normal external head exam

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20
Q

atrophy

A

tissue breakdown or wasting away, typically due to degeneration of cells

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21
Q

auscultation

A

listening with stethoscope

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22
Q

body habitus

A

general appearance/ state of a person’s body

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23
Q

bowel sounds

A

intestinal sounds by auscultation

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24
Q

bradycardia

A

decreased heart rate (HR<60)

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25
Q

bradypnea

A

decreased respiratory response

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26
Q

bruit

A

whooshing sound of a vessel by auscultation

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27
Q

BS

A

bowel sounds/ breath sounds

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28
Q

cachexia/ cachectic

A

extremely thin, malnourished as a result of weight and muscle loss due to disease

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29
Q

caudal

A

toward the feet

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30
Q

cephalad

A

toward the head

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31
Q

cerumen

A

ear wax

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32
Q

CN

A

cranial nerves

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33
Q

combative

A

aggressive and uncooperative

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34
Q

constitutional

A

general appearance of a patient

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35
Q

costovertebral angle

A

abdominal flanks, anatomical angle of the body containing the kidneys, formed by the vertebral column and 12th rib

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36
Q

cranial nerve

A

peripheral nerve originating from the brain (CN 2-12)

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37
Q

crepitus

A

cracking palpable in a joint

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38
Q

C-spine

A

cervical spine (C1-C7)

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39
Q

CTAB

A

clear to auscultation bilaterally

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40
Q

CVAT

A

costovertebral angle tenderness

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41
Q

dermatome/ dermatomal pattern

A

area of skin that is supplied by a specific nerve branch

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42
Q

dislocation

A

displacement of a bone from a joint

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43
Q

distal

A

away from the limb root

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44
Q

distress

A

an aversive state in which a person. is unable to completely adapt to stressors and their resulting stress and can show maladapive behaviors

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45
Q

dorsiflexion

A

movement of the hands or feet toward the dorsum

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46
Q

DP pulse

A

dorsalis pedis pulse

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47
Q

DTR

A

deep tendon reflex

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48
Q

emaciated

A

extremely malnourished and frail

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49
Q

EOMI

A

extraocular movements intact

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50
Q

everted

A

turned outward

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51
Q

extension

A

straighten out

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52
Q

febrile

A

having or showing symptoms of a fever

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53
Q

flat affect

A

monotone and unemotional

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54
Q

flexion

A

bending movement where the angle between the bones of the limb and joint decreases

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55
Q

fluctuance

A

palpable fluid collection under the skin, common sign of abscess

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56
Q

friction rub

A

scratching sound of the heart via auscultation

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57
Q

frontal

A

anterior portion of the scalp and the forehead

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58
Q

gallop

A

extra heart sounds via auscultation (53 or 54)

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59
Q

guarding

A

involuntary tensing of the abdominal wall muscles to protect internal organs in acute process

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60
Q

hemiparesis

A

unilateral weakness

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61
Q

hemiplegia

A

unilateral paraysis

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62
Q

hepatomegaly

A

enlargement of the liver

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63
Q

hernia

A

protrusion of tissue out of a body cavity

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64
Q

hyperesthesia

A

hypersensitivity of skin

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65
Q

hyperpigmentation

A

area of skin that is darker than surrounding skin

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66
Q

hypertension

A

elevated blood pressure

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67
Q

hypopigmentation

A

area of skin that is lighter than surrounding skin

68
Q

hypotension

A

low blood pressure

69
Q

icterus

A

yellowing of the sclera of the eyes

70
Q

inconsolabe

A

unable to be comforted; for example, inability to get an infant to stop crying

71
Q

induration

A

hardened area of tissue

72
Q

inferior

A

lower, away from the head

73
Q

inguinal

A

groin region

74
Q

inverted

A

turned inward

75
Q

irregularly irregular

A

heart sounds heard with atrial fibrillation

76
Q

jaundice

A

yellowing of skin due to hyperbilirubinemia

77
Q

Jugular venous distention

A

distention of the neck veins due to fluid overload or CHF

78
Q

JVD

A

jugular vein distention

79
Q

keloid

A

raised scar

80
Q

kyphosis

A

forward rounding of back

81
Q

laceration

A

cut in or through the skin or other tissues

82
Q

lateral

A

away from the midline, towards the sides

83
Q

LLL

A

left lower lobe

84
Q

LLQ

A

left lower quadrant

85
Q

lordosis

A

curving inward of the lower back

86
Q

L-spine

A

lumbar spine, L1-L5

87
Q

LUL

A

left upper lobe

88
Q

LUQ

A

Left upper quadrant

89
Q

lymphadenopathy

A

enlargement of a lymph node

90
Q

macular

A

flattened, erythematous spots on the skin

91
Q

maculopapular

A

rash displaying flat, red areas with several raised areas

92
Q

malnourished

A

poor nutritional state consistent with thin and frail appearance

93
Q

McBurney point

A

point in RLQ that is associated with appendicitis

94
Q

medial

A

toward the midline/ median plane

95
Q

meningismus

A

stiffening of the neck muscles

96
Q

midline

A

divides the body in half

97
Q

morbidly obese

A

extremely overweight BMI> 45

98
Q

mottled

A

description of skin with significant hypoperfusion (loss of circulating fluids); marked by hypotension and coldness of the skin

99
Q

murmur

A

abnormal heart sound, grade on a scale of I-VI

100
Q

Murphy sign

A

pain with palpation of the RUQ with inspiration (tests for cholecystitis)

101
Q

nasal flaring

A

enlargement of nostrils when breathing; sign of respiratory distress

102
Q

nystagmus

A

involuntary eye movements where eyes appear to be shaking

103
Q

obturator sign

A

pain in the RLQ with internal rotation of the right hip; indicative of appendicitis

104
Q

occipital/ occipitut

A

posterior area of head/ scalp

105
Q

oriented x3

A

oriented to place, place, and time

106
Q

oropharynx

A

posterior mouth meeting the superior aspect of the throat

107
Q

pallor

A

unhealthy pale appearance; abnormal loss of color from skin

108
Q

palpable

A

able to be felt and easily perceived

109
Q

papilledema

A

swelling of the optic nerve sheath

110
Q

papular

A

raised bumps; often associated with rash

111
Q

percussing

A

tapping on the abdomen like a drum

112
Q

peritoneal signs

A

exam findings indicating an acute abdomen

113
Q

PERRL

A

pupils equal, round, reactive to light

114
Q

petechiae

A

small purple or red skin discolorations that do not blanch (petechiae appear when capillaries bleed, leaking blood into the skin)

115
Q

pitting edema

A

swelling that retains an imprint upon palpation

116
Q

plantar

A

sole of the foot

117
Q

posterior

A

relating to the rear or back, interchangeable with dorsal

118
Q

pronate

A

turn the palm of the hand downward, turn out of anatomical position

119
Q

prone

A

body positioning lying face down

120
Q

proximal

A

closer to the limb root

121
Q

psoas sign

A

RLQ pain with extension of the right thigh, sign of appendicitis

122
Q

purulent

A

relating to pus

123
Q

radial

A

aspect of the lower forearm when in anatomic position

124
Q

rales

A

wet crackling sound by auscultation of the lungs

125
Q

rebound

A

pain when releasing from abdominal palpation, also called Blumberg sign

126
Q

retractions

A

visible sinking of the ribs between breathing, indicative of respiratory distress and use of accessory muscles

127
Q

rhonchi

A

coarse rattling respiratory sound; often thick mucous sound by auscultation of the lungs

128
Q

rigidity

A

stiffness of the abdominal wall muscles due to an acute abdominal process

129
Q

RLQ

A

right lower quarter

130
Q

ROM

A

range of motion

131
Q

romberg sign

A

falling to one side when standing with feet together and eyes closed

132
Q

Rovsing sign

A

pain in the RLQ when the LLQ is palpated (indicative of appendicitis)

133
Q

RRR

A

regular rate and rhythm

134
Q

RUQ

A

right upper quadrant

135
Q

scoliosis

A

sideways curvature of the spine

136
Q

serosanguinous

A

consisting of yellowish serum and blood (may also be spelled serosanguineous)

137
Q

serous

A

consisting of yellowish serum

138
Q

splenomegaly

A

enlarged spleen

139
Q

straight leg raise

A

physical exam test to evaluate for sciatica

140
Q

stridor

A

high-pitched upper airway sound

141
Q

subluxation

A

partial dislocation

142
Q

subungual

A

beneath a nail

143
Q

sunken eyes

A

eyes appear to be depressed, consistent with dehydration

144
Q

superficial

A

ear to the surface

145
Q

supinate

A

turning the palm facing upward or forward

146
Q

supine

A

body position when lying face up

147
Q

supple

A

flexible and freely mobile; common descriptor in neck exam

148
Q

suprapubic

A

lower central region of abdomen

149
Q

T spine

A

thoracic spine; T1-T12

150
Q

tachycardia

A

fast heart rate, HR>100bpm

151
Q

tachypnea

A

increased respiratory rate

152
Q

temporal

A

the sides of the head

153
Q

tenting

A

slow return of skin to normal position after pinching the area- a sign of dehydration

154
Q

turgor

A

skin elasticity

155
Q

tympanic membrane (TM)

A

eardrum

156
Q

tympany

A

bell-like sound when percussing the abdomen

157
Q

Ulnar

A

pertaining to the medial side of the arm when in anatomic position

158
Q

uncooperative

A

does not follow commands

159
Q

unkempt

A

poor self hygiene

160
Q

urticaria

A

hives, sign of allergic reaction

161
Q

vesicle

A

fluid or air-filled cavity or sac

162
Q

volar

A

relating to the palm/ sole of the foot (interchangeable with palmar)

163
Q

weal (plural wheals)

A

often a description of an uticarial plaque ( a red swollen mark on the body)

164
Q

well-developed

A

normal state of body and mental development and wellness

165
Q

wheezing

A

high-pitched lung sounds, often due to bronchopasm

Medical scribe (4 decks)

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