Terms Used For Mucocutaneous Lesions

Front 1

MACULE

Back 1

Flat lesion - neither elevated nor depressed
Different color than the surrounding normal mucosa.
Brown or red
When a ≥ 1cm, it is called a patch.
E.g. freckle.

Front 2

PAPULE

Back 2

Small, solid, elevated lesion less than 5 mm in diameter
Top of a papule may be flat, pointed, or rounded (dome-shaped as in xanthomas)
E.g. acne, fungal infections, lichen planus

Front 3

NODULE

Back 3

Solid, deep-seated mass located in the submucosa which produces an elevation on the surface
Usually larger than papules: > 5 mm diam)
Inflammatory OR Neoplastic

Front 4

PLAQUE

Back 4

Elevated, flat-topped lesion greater than 5 mm [usually more than 2 cm] in diameter and rarely more than 5 mm in height
E.g. Lichen planus

Front 5

WHEAL

Back 5

Rounded or flat-topped, firm elevated lesion that results from edema (swelling) of the dermis.
Often pink with a whitish center.
An eruption of wheals is termed urticaria and usually itches.
E.g. Bee sting.

Front 6

SCALES

Back 6

Flakes formed on the surface when the stratum corneum produces corneocytes faster than they can be shed through desquamation
Crust is liquid debris dried on the surface.
E.g. psoriasis, ichthyosis

Front 7

FISSURE

Back 7

Thin but deep linear split in the epithelium that extends into the connective tissue.

Front 8

EROSION

Back 8

Loss of integrity of the epithelial surface which is wider than a fissure but not as deep. Confined to epithelium and does not expose the connective tissue.

Front 9

ULCER

Back 9

Loss of integrity of the epithelial surface which extends into connective tissue and exposes it. A deep erosion.

Front 10

PUSTULE

Back 10

Blister filled with cloudy or purulent fluid, such as pus.
Often associated with hair follicles (skin).
Seen in acne, cutaneous yeast infections, pustular psoriasis, and folliculitis

Front 11

VESICLES AND BULLA

Back 11

Blisters filled with clear fluid.
Vesicle ≤ 5 mm -large as a pea
Bulla > 5 mm - bigger than a pea
Intraepithelial e.g. Herpes, Pemphigus
Subepithelial e.g. Pemphigoid

Front 12

TELANGIECTASIA

Back 12

Characterized by enlarged, visible superficial blood vessels.
Condition – telangiectasia
Individual lesion – telangiectasis
Multiple lesions – telangiectases
E.g. Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome