Dermatology Glossary – Flashcards
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Aggregated lesions
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Clustered lesions
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Acanthosis
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Diffuse epidermal hyperplasia
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Alopecia
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Absence of hair from a normally hairy area
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Aphthous
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A small ulcer of the mucosa
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Annular
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Open circles with different central skin compared with the rim
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Arcuate
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Incomplete circles
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Atrophy
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A loss of tissue from one or more of the epidermis, dermis, or subcutaneous tissues
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Blister
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Common term for either vesicle or bulla
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Bulla
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A fluid-filled raised lesion, greater than 5 mm (or 1 cm) in diameter
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Burrow
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A small tunnel in the skin that houses a parasite
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Callus
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A localized hyperplasia of the stratum corneum
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Cellulitis
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An inflammation of cellular tissue, particularly purulent inflammation of the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue
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Comedo (pl. comedones)
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A plug of keratin and sebum in a dilated pilosebaceous follicle
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Confluent lesions
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Lesions merging together, locally or widespread
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Crusts (scabs)
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Crusts consist of dried serum and other exudates
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Cyst
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Any closed cavity or sac (normal or abnormal) with an epithelial, endothelial, or membranous lining and containing fluid or semisolid material
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Digitate
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Finger-shaped projections
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Discoid
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A filled circle
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Dyskeratosis
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Abnormal, premature keratinization within cells below the stratum granulosum
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Ecchymosis (bruise)
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A macular area of hemorrhage more than 2 mm in diameter
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Erosion
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Discontinuity of the skin showing incomplete loss of the epidermis, which heals without scarring
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Erythema
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Redness of the skin produced by vascular congestion or increased perfusion
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Excoriation
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Traumatic lesion breaking the epidermis and causing a raw linear area (i.e. deep scratch); often self-induced
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Exfoliation
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The splitting off of the epidermal keratin in scales or sheets
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Exocytosis
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Infiltration of the epidermis by inflammatory cells
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Fibrosis
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The formation of excessive fibrous tissue
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Fissure
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Any linear split in the skin surface
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Fistula
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An abnormal passage from a deep structure, such as a hollow viscus, to the skin surface or between two structures. It is often lined with squamous epithelium.
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Gangrene
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Death of tissue, usually due to loss of blood supply
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Guttate lesions
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Small round or oval lesions distributed as drops or droplets
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Hematoma
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A localized tumour-like collection of blood
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Hydropic swelling (ballooning)
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Intracellular edema of keratinocytes, often seen in viral infections
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Hypergranulosis
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Hyperplasia of the stratum granulosum, often due to intense rubbing
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Hyperkeratosis
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Thickening of the stratum corneum, often associated with a qualitative abnormality of the keratin
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Keratoderma
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A horny thickening of the skin
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Lentiginous
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A linear pattern of melanocyte proliferation within the epidermal basal cell layer
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Lichenification
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Thickened, rough skin (epidermis, and to some extent also dermis); usually the result of repeated rubbing
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Linear
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Straight line
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Livedo
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A bluish discoloration of the skin
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Macule
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Circumscribed, flat lesion distinguished from surrounding skin by colour; 5 mm in diameter or less
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Patch
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Circumscribed, flat lesion distinguished from surrounding skin by colour; greater than 5 mm in diameter
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Maculopapular
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Rash consisting of both macules and papules
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Milium
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A tiny white cyst containing keratin
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Nodule
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A solid mass in the skin; elevated dome-shaped or flat-topped lesion. It is more than 5 mm in diameter. It may involve epidermis and dermis, dermis and subcutaneous tissue. It may consist of fluid, other extracellular material, inflammatory, or neoplastic cells.
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Onycholysis
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Separation of nail plate from nail bed
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Papilloma
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A nipple-like mass projecting from the surface of the skin
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Papillomatosis
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Surface elevation caused by hyperplasia and enlargement of contiguous dermal papillae
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Papule
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A circumscribed palpable elevated dome-shaped or flat-topped lesion; 5 mm in diameter or less. (The only distinction between a papule and a nodule is the size, and this is artificial; some lesions characteristically occur at the smaller size of a papule, whereas others typically enlarge from a papule to become a nodule).
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Parakeratosis
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Keratinization with retained nuclei in the stratum corneum (on mucous membranes, parakeratosis is normal)
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Petechiae
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A punctate hemorrhagic spot
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Plaque
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Elevated flat-topped lesion, usually greater than 5 mm (or 2 cm or more) in diameter (may be caused by coalescent papules)
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Poikiloderma
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The association of cutaneous pigmentation, atrophy, and telangiectasia
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Porokeratosis
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Thickening of the stratum corneum with an annular keratotic rim
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Pustule
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Discrete, pus-filled, raised lesion; visible accumulation of free purulence
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Pyoderma
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Any purulent skin disease
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Reticular
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Fine lace-like pattern
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Satellite lesions
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A cluster of lesions around a larger central lesion
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Scale
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Dry, horny, plate-like excrescence; thin plate or flake of the stratum corneum; usually the result of imperfect cornification
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Collarette scale
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A fine, peripherally attached and centrally detached scale at the edge of an inflammatory lesion
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Furfuraceous scales
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Small scales that are fine and loose
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Ichthyotic scales
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Large and polygonal scales associated with non-inflammatory dryness
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Scar
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Replacement by fibrous tissue of another tissue that has been destroyed by injury or disease
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Atrophic scar
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Thin and wrinkled
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Hypertrophic scar
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Elevated, with excessive growth of fibrous tissue
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Cribriform scar
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Perforated with multiple small pits
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Sclerosis
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Diffuse or circumscribed induration (hardening) of the dermis or subcutaneous tissues
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Serpiginous
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Snake-like or wavy border
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Sinus
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A cavity or track with a blind ending
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Sparing
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Patterns of sparing amongst lesions
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Spongiosis
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Intercellular edema of the epidermis
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Stellate
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Star-shaped
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Stratum corneum
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The outermost layer of the epidermis
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Symmetrical lesions
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Equality or correspondence in distribution of patterns
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Target lesions
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These are less than 3 cm in diameter and have three or more zones, usually a central area of dusky erythema or purpura, a middle paler zone of edema, and an outer ring of erythema with a well-defined edge
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Telangiectasia
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Dilation of a previously existing small vessel
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Tumour
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Literally a swelling. Avoid using this word as a synonym for neoplasm. The term is used to imply enlargement of the tissues by normal or pathological material, or cells that form a mass.
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Ulcer (of skin)
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A loss of dermis and epidermis, often with loss of the underlying tissues
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Ulceration
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Discontinuity of the skin showing complete loss of the epidermis revealing dermis or subcutis
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Vacuolization
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Formation of vacuoles within or adjacent to cells; often refers to basal cell-basement membrane zone area
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Vegetation
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A growth of pathological tissue consisting of multiple, closely set, papillary masses
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Vesicles
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Visible accumulations of fluid within or beneath the epidermis. Vesicles are 5 mm in diameter or less, and often grouped.
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Wheal
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Itchy, transient, elevated lesion with variable blanching and erythema formed as the result of dermal edema
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Whorled
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Swirling
