Soft Tissue Lesions Flashcards
Soft tissue lesions
May be present at birth
Associated with an infection
Associated with an allergic reaction
Associated with an injury
Characteristics of soft tissue lesions that differ from surrounding skin or mucosa
Have a border that is regular or irregular
Margins may be smooth or raised
May clustered together
Often different color from the normal tissue
Maybe flat, raised, fluid filled or depressed
Configuration of lesions varies
Lesion border traits
Regular versus irregular
Margin traits
Level with surrounding tissue
Raised margin
Color traits
White, red, blue, black, yellow or brown
Configuration
Discrete (dispersed)
Confluent (kind of together)
Grouped (together)
Linear (forms a line)
Flat lesions
Cannot palpate. Only way to detect is there a change in color from surrounding skin or mucosa
Macules and patches
Macule
Small, Flat, discolored spot. No crusting, even with the skin
Patch
Flat, discolored spot. Larger than a macule
Elevated lesions
Can palpate
Surface of lesion is raised above the normal level of the skin or oral mucosa
Papules, plaques, nodules, wheals
Papule
Solid, raised. Less than 1 cm
Beauty marks
Plaque
Superficial raised lesion. Larger than a papule
Wheal
Raised, irregular area of edema. Same color as the skin, can happen during a reaction
Nodule
Raised, marble like lesion less than 1 cm. Can be painful when palpated
Fluid filled lesion
Elevated lesion filled with clear fluid or puss
Vesicle
Bulla
Pustule
Vesicle
Small blister filled with clear fluid, less than 1 cm
Herpes/chickenpox
Bulla
A large blister
Pustule
Pus filled lesion
With acne, describe if it is generalized or localized and clustered around the chin
Depressed lesions
Surface of the lesion is below the normal level of skin or mucosa
Most depressed lesions are ulcers
Superficial ulcer has depth less than 3 mm
Deep also has depth greater than 3 mm
Linear cracks
A long, narrow break in the surface of the skin or mucosa
Fissures
Fissure
Linear crack in top two layers of skin
Why should we have a precise description of the lesion in the patient record
To document findings to meet standards of care
To assist other clinicians in locating the lesion
For referrals to dental specialists
To allow comparison of today’s findings with those of a week or months ago
Formula for describing lesions
ABCD-T
A- anatomic location B- border C-Color/configuration D-dimension T-Type
