Chap 16, Pathology, Cutaneous Lesions

Question 1

lesion

Answer 1

An area of abnormal tissue anywhere on or in the body. It may be caused by disease or trauma (external forces).

Question 2

crust

Answer 2

Collection of dried serum and cellular debris. A scab is a crust. It forms from the drying of a body exudate, as in eczema, impetigo, and seborrhea.

Question 3

cyst

Answer 3

Thick-walled, closed sac or pouch containing fluid or semisolid material. Examples of cysts are the pilonidal cyst, which is found over the sacral area of the back in the midline and contains hairs (pil/o = hair, nid/o = nest); and a sebaceous cyst, a collection of yellowish, cheesy sebum commonly found on the scalp, vulva, and scrotum.

Question 4

erosion

Answer 4

Wearing away or loss of epidermis. Erosions do not penetrate below the dermoepidermal junction. They occur as a result of inflammation or injury and heal without scarring.

Question 5

fissure

Answer 5

Groove or crack-like sore. An anal fissure is a break in the skin lining of the anal canal.

Question 6

macule

Answer 6

Flat lesion measuring less than 1 cm in diameter. Freckles, tattoo marks, and flat moles are examples.

Question 7

patch

Answer 7

Is a large macule, greater than 1 cm in diameter.

Question 8

nodule

Answer 8

Solid, round or oval elevated lesion 1 cm or more in diameter. An enlarged lymph node and solid growths are examples.

Question 9

papule (adj. papular)

Answer 9

Small (less than 1 cm in diameter), solid elevation of the skin. Pimples are examples of papules. Papules may become confluent (run together) and form plaques, which are elevated flat lesions.

Question 10

polyp

Answer 10

Growth extending from the surface of mucous membrane. Polyps (a type of papule) commonly are found in the nose and sinuses, colon, urinary bladder, and uterus.

Question 11

pustule

Answer 11

Papule containing pus. A pustule is a small abscess (collection of pus) on the skin.

Question 12

ulcer

Answer 12

Open sore on the skin or mucous membranes (deeper than an erosion). Decubitus ulcers (bedsores) are caused by pressure that results from lying in one position. Pressure ulcers usually involve loss of tissue substance and pus or exudate formation.

Question 13

vesicle (blister)

Answer 13

Small collection (papule) of clear fluid (serum); blister. Vesicles form in burns, allergies, and dermatitis. A bulla (plural: bullae) is a large vesicle.

Question 14

wheal

Answer 14

Smooth, edematous (swollen) papule or plaque that is redder or paler than the surrounding skin.

Question 15

alopecia

Answer 15

Absence of hair from areas where it normally grows. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which hair falls out in patches without scarring or inflammation.

Question 16

ecchymosis, ecchymoses

Answer 16

Bruise. Bluish-purplish mark on the skin.

Question 17

petechia, petechiae

Answer 17

Small, pinpoint hemorrhage.

Question 18

pruritus

Answer 18

Itching. Pruritus is a symptom associated with most forms of dermatitis and with other conditions as well.

Question 19

acne

Answer 19

Chronic papular and pustular eruptions of the skin with increased production of sebum. Acne vulgaris (vulgaris = ordinary) is caused by the buildup of sebum and keratin in the pores of the skin. A blackhead or open comedo (plural: comedones) is a sebum plug partially blocking the pore. If the pore becomes completely blocked, a whitehead (closed comedo) forms.

Question 20

burns

Answer 20

Injury to tissues caused by heat contact. 1) first-degree burns – superficial epidermal lesions, erythema, hyperesthesia, and no blisters. 2) second-degree burns (partial-thickness burn injury) – epidermal and dermal lesions, erythema, blisters, and hyperesthesia. 3) third-degree burns (full-thickness burn injury) – epidermis and dermis are destroyed (necrosis of skin), and subcutaneous layer is damaged, leaving charred, white tissue.

Question 21

cellulitis

Answer 21

Diffuse, acute infection of the skin marked by local heat, redness, pain, and swelling. Abscess formation and tissue destruction can occur if appropriate antibiotic therapy is not given. Areas of poor lymphatic drainage are susceptible to this skin infection.

Question 22

eczema (atopic dermatitis)

Answer 22

Inflammatory skin disease with erythematous, papulovesicular, or papalosquamous lesions. This is a chronic or acute atopic dermatitis (rash often begins on face, hands, elbows, or knees). It is accompanied by intense pruritus and tends to occur in patients with a family history of allergic conditions.

Question 23

exanthematous viral diseases

Answer 23

Rash (exanthem) of the skin due to a viral infection. Examples are rubella (German measles), rubeola (measles), and varicella (chickenpox). Erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) is a common exanthematous viral disease. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is another common viral illness in children.

Question 24

gangrene

Answer 24

Death of tissue associated with loss of blood supply.

Question 25

impetigo

Answer 25

Bacterial inflammatory skin disease characterized by vesicles, pustules, and crusted-over lesions. This is a contagious pyoderma (py/o = pus) and usually is caused by staphylococci or streptococci.

Question 26

psoriasis

Answer 26

Chronic, recurrent dermatosis marked by itchy, scaly, red plaques covered by silvery gray scales.

Question 27

scabies

Answer 27

Contagious, parasitic infection of the skin with intense pruritus.

Question 28

scleroderma

Answer 28

Chronic progressive disease of the skin and internal organs with hardening and shrinking of connective tissue.

Question 29

systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Answer 29

Chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of collagen in skin, joints, and internal organs.

Question 30

tinea

Answer 30

Infection of the skin caused by a fungus. Tinea corporis, or ringworm, tinea pedis (athlete’s foot), tinea capitis (on the scalp), tinea barbae (affecting the skin under a beard), and tinea unguium (affecting the nails)

Question 31

urticaria (hives)

Answer 31

Acute allergic reaction in which red, round wheals develop on the skin.

Question 32

vitiligo

Answer 32

Loss of pigment (depigmentation) in areas of the skin (mild-white patches).

Question 33

callus

Answer 33

Increased growth of cells in the keratin layer of the epidermis caused by pressure or friction.

Question 34

keloid

Answer 34

Excess hypertrophied, thickened scar developing after trauma or surgical incision.

Question 35

keratosis

Answer 35

Thickened and rough lesion of the epidermis; associated with aging or skin damage. Actinic keratosis is caused by long-term ultraviolet light exposure and is a precancerous lesion that can evolve into squamous cell carcinoma. Seborrheic keratosis is a benign lesion that results from overgrowth of the upper epidermis and is dark in color.

Question 36

leukoplakia

Answer 36

White, thickened patches on mucous membrane tissue of the tongue or cheek (evolves to squamous cell carcinoma).

Question 37

nevus, nevi

Answer 37

Pigmented lesion of the skin, commonly known as mole(s).

Question 38

verruca, verrucae

Answer 38

Epidermal growth (wart) caused by a virus. Verruca vulgaris (common wart); Plantar warts occur on the soles of the feet; juvenile warts occur on the hands and feet of children.

Question 39

basal cell carcinoma

Answer 39

Malignant tumor of the basal cell layer of the epidermis. Most frequent type of skin cancer.

Question 40

squamous cell carcinoma

Answer 40

Malignant tumor of the squamous epithelial cells in the epidermis. This tumor may grow in places other than the skin, wherever squamous epithelium is found (mouth, larynx, bladder, esophagus, lungs). Actinic (sun-related) keratoses are premalignant lesions in people with sun-damaged skin.

Question 41

malignant melanoma

Answer 41

Cancerous growth composed of melanocytes. This malignancy is attributed to a genetic predisposition and to exposure to ultraviolet light.

Question 42

Kaposi sarcoma

Answer 42

Malignant, vascular, neoplastic growth characterized by cutaneous nodules. Frequently arising on the lower extremities, nodules range in color from deep pink to dark blue and purple. One form of this condition is associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).