Chapter 5 Symptomatic Terms

Front 1

lesion

Back 1

an area of pahologically altered tissue

Front 2

primary lesions

Back 2

lesions arising from previously normal skin

Front 3

macule (macula)

Back 3

a flat, discolored spot on the skin up to 1cm across (e.g., a freckle)

Front 4

patch

Back 4

a flat, discolored area on teh skin larger than 1cm (e.g., vitiligo)

Front 5

papule

Back 5

a solid mass on the skin up to 0.5cm in diameter (e.g., a nevus [mole])

Front 6

plaque

Back 6

a solid mass greater than 1cm in diameter, limited to the surface of the skin

Front 7

nodule

Back 7

a solid mass greater than 1cm, which extends deepere into the epidermis

Front 8

tumor

Back 8

a solid mass larger than 1-2cm

Front 9

wheal

Back 9

an area of localized skin edema (swelling) (e.g., a hive)

Front 10

vesicle

Back 10

little bladder; an elevated, fluid-filled sac (blister) within or under the epidermis up to 0.5cm in diameter (e.g., a fever blister)

Front 11

bulla

Back 11

a blister larger than 0.5cm (e.g., a second-degree burn) (bulla = bubble)

Front 12

pustule

Back 12

a pus-filled sac (e.g., a pimple)

Front 13

secondary lesions

Back 13

lesions that result in changes in primary lesions

Front 14

erosion

Back 14

to gnaw away; loss of superficial epidermis leaving an area of moisture but no bleeding (e.g., area of moisture after rupture of a vesicle)

Front 15

ulcer

Back 15

an open sore on the skin or mucous membrane that can bled and scar and is sometimes accompanied by infection (e.g., decubitus ulcer)

Front 16

excoriation

Back 16

a scratch mark

Front 17

fissure

Back 17

a linear crack in the skin

Front 18

scale

Back 18

a thin flake of exfoliated epidermis (e.g., dandruff)

Front 19

crust

Back 19

dried residue of serum (body liquids), pus, or blood on the skin (e.g., in impetigo)

Front 20

cicatrix of the skin

Back 20

a mark left by the healing of a sore or wound showing the replacement of destroyed tissue by fibrous tissue (cicatrix = scar)

Front 21

keloid

Back 21

an abnormal overgrowth of scar tissue that is thick and irregular (kele = tumore)

Front 22

vascular lesions

Back 22

lesions of a blood vessel

Front 23

cherry angioma

Back 23

a small, round, bright-red blood vessel tumor on the skin, often on the trunk of the elderly

Front 24

telangiectasia

Back 24

a tiny, red blood vessel lesion formed by the dilation of a group of blood vessels radiating from a central arteriole, most commonly seen on the face, neck, or chest (telos = end)

Front 25

spider angioma

Back 25

a tiny, red blood vessel lesion formed by the dilation of a group of blood vessels radiating from a central arteriole, most commonly seen on the face, neck, or chest (telos = end)

Front 26

purpuric lesions

Back 26

purpura; lesions as a result of hemorrhages into the skin

Front 27

petechia

Back 27

spot; a reddish-brown, minute hemorrhagic spot on the skin that indicates a bleeding tendency - a small purpura

Front 28

ecchymosis

Back 28

bruise; a black and blue mark - large purpura (chymo = juice)

Front 29

epidermal tumors

Back 29

skin tumors arising from the epidermis

Front 30

nevus

Back 30

a congenital malformation on the skin that can be epidermal or vascular - also called a mole

Front 31

dysplastic nevus

Back 31

a mole with precancerous changes

Front 32

verruca

Back 32

an epidermal tumor caused by a papilloma virus - also called a wart

Front 33

alopecia

Back 33

baldness; natural or unnatural deficiency of hair

Front 34

comedo (pl. comedos, comedones)

Back 34

a plug of sebum (oil) within the opening of a hair follicle

Front 35

closed comedo (whitehead)

Back 35

below the skin surface with a white center

Front 36

open comedo (blackhead)

Back 36

open to the skin surface with a black center caused by the presence of melanin exposed to air

Front 37

eruption

Back 37

appearance of a skin lesion

Front 38

erythema

Back 38

redness of skin

Front 39

pruritus

Back 39

severe itching

Front 40

rash

Back 40

a general term for skin reuption, most often associated with communicable disease

Front 41

skin pigmentation

Back 41

skin color due to the presence of melanin

Front 42

depigmentation

Back 42

loss of melanin pigment in the skin

Front 43

hypopigmentation

Back 43

areas of skin lacking color due to deficient amounts of melanin

Front 44

hyperpigmentations

Back 44

darkened areas of skin caused by excessive amounts of melanin

Front 45

suppuration

Back 45

production of purulent matter (pus)

Front 46

urticaria

Back 46

hives; an eruption of wheals on the skin accompanied by itch (urtica - stinging nettle)

Front 47

xeroderma

Back 47

dry skin