Skin morphology Flashcards
What is a macule?
Flat, <1cm, can’t feel
What is a patch?
Flat, >1cm, can’t feel
What is a papule?
Raised lesion, <1cm
What is a plaque?
Raised lesion, >1cm
What is a nodule?
Deep, palpable, >1cm
What is a vesicle?
Raised, fluid filled, <1cm
What is a bulla?
Raised, fluid filled, >1cm
What is a pustule?
Raised, pus-filled
What are the six dimensions that we describe when identifying a skin lesion?
Palpability, color, shape, texture, size, and location
What is the definition of erythematous?
Red from inflammation
How do we describe the color of a skin lesion?
Actual color; erythematous, hyperpigmented
What is the definition of hyperpigmented?
Darkening of the color of the skin
How do we describe the size of a skin legion?
Measure solitary lesions; minute/small/medium/large for multiple lesions
What is scale?
Accumulated skin (stratum corneum)
What is crust?
Dried exudate (blood, serum, pus)
What is excoriation?
Trauma due to scratching
What is erosion?
Superficial depression with loss of epidermis (can be from scratching, picking, or pathopysiological process)
What is an ulcer?
Depression with loss of epidermis and dermis
What is a fissure?
Linear cleavage
What is lichenification?
Thickened, accentuated skin lines
What is atrophy?
Depression, thinning, and wrinkling
What is a scar?
Permanent fibrotic change
What are the characteristics of vascular/vasculitic lesions?
Will not blanch with pressure, diascopy
What causes petechial skin lesions?
Acute to subacute leakage of capillaries within skin
What causes purpuric skin lesions?
Acute to subacute leakage of capillaries or smaller/larger vessels within skin
What are the characteristics of purpuric skin lesions?
Usually larger, may be palpable
What are the characteristics of petechial skin lesions?
Generally pinpoint to small
What causes ecchymotic skin lesions?
Subacute to chronic hemorrhage within skin
What are the characteristics of petechial skin lesions?
Usually larger
What are the characteristics of erosions?
Loss of part of all of the epidermis, may occur after a vesicle forms and the top peels off, may weep fluid and become crusted, do not scar
What are the characteristics of ulcers?
Complete loss of the epidermis in addition to part of the dermis, usually heal with scarring
What is the difference between distribution and configuration?
Distribution describes the anatomic location of the lesion on the body; configuration describes how the lesions are arranged or relate to each other
