dermatological history and examination

Question 1

atrophy

Answer 1

thinning of skin

Question 2

bulla

Answer 2

large fluid filled blister (>1cm)

Question 3

crusted

Answer 3

dried serum or exudate on the skin surface

Question 4

ecchymosis

Answer 4

large, confluent area or purpura

Question 5

erosion

Answer 5

scratch mark

Question 6

fissure

Answer 6

deep linear crack or crevice

often in thickened skin

Question 7

lichenified

Answer 7

thickened epidermis with prominent normal skin markings

Question 8

macule

Answer 8

flat, circumscribed non-palpable lesion

Question 9

nodule

Answer 9

large papule (>0.5cm)

Question 10

papule

Answer 10

small, palpable, circumscribed lesion (<0.5cm)

Question 11

petechia

Answer 11

pinhead sized, non-blanching area of haemorrhage

Question 12

plaque

Answer 12

large, flat topped, elevated, palpable lesion

Question 13

purpura

Answer 13

large macule or papule of blood in the skin that does not blanch on pressure

Question 14

pustule

Answer 14

yellow-white pus-filled lesion

Question 15

scaly

Answer 15

visible flacking and shedding of surface skin

Question 16

telangiectasia

Answer 16

abnormal visible dilatation of blood vessels

Question 17

ulcer

Answer 17

deeper denuded area of skin

Question 18

vesicle

Answer 18

a small, fluid-filled blister

Question 19

weal

Answer 19

smooth, itchy, raised swelling like ‘nettle rash’ caused by dermal oedema

Question 20

when to use a skin swab

Answer 20

• impetigo

- candiadis

Question 21

when to use blister fluid

Answer 21

herpes simplex

Question 22

when to use skin scrape

Answer 22

• tinea pedis

- scabies

Question 23

when to use nail sampling

Answer 23

onychomycosis

Question 24

when to use wood’s light

Answer 24

• scalp ringworm

Question 25

when to use autoantibodies

Answer 25

- systemic lupus erythematosis

Question 26

when to use HLA typing

Answer 26

dermatitis herpetiforms

Question 27

when do use DNA analysis

Answer 27

epidermolysis bulls

Question 28

when to use patch test

Answer 28

hand eczema

Question 29

when to use urine dipstick for glucose

Answer 29

diabetes mellitus

Question 30

when to use urine dipstick for red cells

Answer 30

vasculitis

Question 31

when to use dermoscopy

Answer 31

malignant melanoma