Soft Tissue Lesions

Question 1

Soft tissue lesions

Answer 1

May be present at birth
Associated with an infection
Associated with an allergic reaction
Associated with an injury

Question 2

Characteristics of soft tissue lesions that differ from surrounding skin or mucosa

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Lesion border traits

Answer 3

Regular versus irregular

Question 4

Margin traits

Answer 4

Level with surrounding tissue

Raised margin

Question 5

Color traits

Answer 5

White, red, blue, black, yellow or brown

Question 6

Configuration

Answer 6

Discrete (dispersed)
Confluent (kind of together)
Grouped (together)
Linear (forms a line)

Question 7

Flat lesions

Answer 7

Cannot palpate. Only way to detect is there a change in color from surrounding skin or mucosa

Macules and patches

Question 8

Macule

Answer 8

Small, Flat, discolored spot. No crusting, even with the skin

Question 9

Patch

Answer 9

Flat, discolored spot. Larger than a macule

Question 10

Elevated lesions

Answer 10

Can palpate

Surface of lesion is raised above the normal level of the skin or oral mucosa

Papules, plaques, nodules, wheals

Question 11

Papule

Answer 11

Solid, raised. Less than 1 cm

Beauty marks

Question 12

Plaque

Answer 12

Superficial raised lesion. Larger than a papule

Question 13

Wheal

Answer 13

Raised, irregular area of edema. Same color as the skin, can happen during a reaction

Question 14

Nodule

Answer 14

Raised, marble like lesion less than 1 cm. Can be painful when palpated

Question 15

Fluid filled lesion

Answer 15

Elevated lesion filled with clear fluid or puss

Vesicle
Bulla
Pustule

Question 16

Vesicle

Answer 16

Small blister filled with clear fluid, less than 1 cm

Herpes/chickenpox

Question 17

Bulla

Answer 17

A large blister

Question 18

Pustule

Answer 18

Pus filled lesion

With acne, describe if it is generalized or localized and clustered around the chin

Question 19

Depressed lesions

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Linear cracks

Answer 20

A long, narrow break in the surface of the skin or mucosa

Fissures

Question 21

Fissure

Answer 21

Linear crack in top two layers of skin

Question 22

Why should we have a precise description of the lesion in the patient record

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Formula for describing lesions

Answer 23

ABCD-T

A- anatomic location
B- border
C-Color/configuration
D-dimension
T-Type