Dermatology Glossary

Front 1

acantholysis

Back 1

detachment of keratinocytes from each other due to loss of intercellular contacts

Front 2

acanthosis

Back 2

increase in keratinocyte population of spinous layer with thickening of epidermis; may be papillomatous or psoriasiform

Front 3

adventitial dermis

Back 3

investment of fine collagen fibers and delicate blood and lymphatic vessels which surround epidermal appendages

Front 4

apoptosis

Back 4

general process of cell death as individual cells necrose; often leads to residual body containing many keratin filaments which resemble amyloid

Front 5

annular

Back 5

grouped as round rings

Front 6

arciform

Back 6

grouped as incomplete rings, arcs

Front 7

ballooning degeneration

Back 7

intracellular edema with cellular swelling often secondary to viral injury or nutritional deficiency

Front 8

bulle

Back 8

circumscribed lesion, greater than 5 mm in diameter that is elevated and contains fluid

Front 9

crust

Back 9

dried serum, blood, or pus on surface

Front 10

dermis

Back 10

collagenous layer between epidermis and subcutaneous layer

Front 11

dyskeratosis

Back 11

cell death associated with premature keratinization below level of stratum granulosum

Front 12

erosion

Back 12

moist, circumscribed, usually depressed lesion that results from loss of all or portion of viable epidermis; may heal without scarring

Front 13

excoriation

Back 13

traumatic erosion or ulcer which often is linear

Front 14

exocytosis

Back 14

emigration of inflammatory or neoplastic cells into epidermis

Front 15

herpetiform

Back 15

grouped as clusters of vesicles

Front 16

hypergranulosis

Back 16

increase in thickness of granular layer

Front 17

hyperkeratosis

Back 17

increased thickness of stratum corneum whether by normal or abnormal keratinocytes

Front 18

hypogranulosis

Back 18

decrease in thickness of granular layer

Front 19

lichenification

Back 19

thickened skin wiht accentuated skin markings

Front 20

linear

Back 20

in a line, continuous or broken

Front 21

macule

Back 21

circumscribed, flat lesion differing in color from surrounding skin

Front 22

melanophage

Back 22

macrophage which has ingested melanin pigment lost from melanocytes or keratinocytes

Front 23

orthokeratosis

Back 23

process of normal keratinization which leads to production of stratum corneum composed of anucleate squames

Front 24

papillary dermis

Back 24

portion of dermis that extends from the basement membrane down to and including superficial vascular plexus. Contains finer collagen bundles and elastin fibers from reticular dermis

Front 25

papillomatosis

Back 25

increase in keratinocytes with formation of projections from the surface of skin

Front 26

papule

Back 26

small, solid, elevated lesion usually superficial

Front 27

patch

Back 27

large macule

Front 28

plaque

Back 28

mesa-like elevation that occupies a relatively large surface area

Front 29

poikiloderma

Back 29

usually a plaque that has the combination of atrophy, telangiectasia, and pigmentary alteration

Front 30

polycyclic

Back 30

grouped as irregular rings

Front 31

psoriasiform epidermal hyperplasia

Back 31

increase in keratinocytes with elongation of rete ridges and elongation of dermal papillae

Front 32

pustule

Back 32

circumscribed, raised lesion containing pus

Front 33

random

Back 33

random distribution of lesions on skin

Front 34

reticular dermis

Back 34

portion of dermis that extends from superficial vascular plexus down to subcutis. contains larger collagen bundles and elastin fibers than papillary dermis

Front 35

scale

Back 35

dry, horny, platelike excrescence, usually composed of abnormally shed or accumulated stratum corneum

Front 36

spongiosis

Back 36

widening of interspaces between keratinocytes due to edema fluid without detachment of cells from each other, except when vesicles form

Front 37

ulcer

Back 37

lesion in which there has been destruction of epidermis and which goes into papillary or reticular dermis or even deeper; heals with scarring

Front 38

vacuolar change

Back 38

formation of vacuoles whithin cells; often used in reference to changes in basal keratinocytes

Front 39

vesicle

Back 39

circumscribed lesion less than 5 mm in diameter that is elevated and contains fluid

Front 40

wheal

Back 40

rounded or flat-topped elevated lesion that is characteristically evanescent, disappearing within hours; hive