Describing dermatological lesions

Question 1

What mnemonic should you use to describe skin lesions?

Answer 1

SPECL SCAB

S: Size (morphology)

P: Pattern

E: Elevation

C: Colour

L: Location

S: Shape

C: Consistency

A: And secondary lesions

B: Borders

Question 2

What is meant by describing the size of a skin lesion?

Answer 2

What kinds of primary lesions are there

Question 3

What are the 3 morphologies of bruises?

Answer 3

Petechiae: Purple/dark red pinpoint bruise smaller than 4mm width

Purpura: Purple/dark red bruise between 4mm-10mm width

Ecchymoses: Purple/dark red bruise larger than 10mm width

Question 4

What are the 4 morphologies of solid lesions?

Answer 4

Macule

Plaque

Papule

Nodule

Question 5

What are the 2 morphologies of fluid-filled lesions?

Answer 5

Vesicle

Bulla

Question 6

What are the 2 morphologies of pus-filled lesions?

Answer 6

Pustule

Cyst

Question 7

What are the 3 morphologies of depressed lesions?

Answer 7

Erosion

Fissure

Ulcer

Question 8

What is meant by describing the pattern of a skin lesion?

Answer 8

Which areas on body surface is affected

Question 9

What is meant by a dermatomal/band-like distribution pattern?

Answer 9

Lesion is confined to an area of skin supplied by a single nerve root

Question 10

What is meant by a palmoplantar distribution pattern?

Answer 10

Lesion is on palms and soles

Question 11

What is meant by an extensor distribution pattern?

Answer 11

Lesion is on extensor surfaces of joints, back, shoulders

Question 12

What is meant by a flexor distribution pattern?

Answer 12

Lesion is on flexor surfaces of joints, trunk, front of neck

Question 13

What is meant by an intertriginous distribution pattern?

Answer 13

Lesion is on skinfold areas eg. under breast, in axilla, groin

Question 14

What is meant by a photo-distributed pattern?

Answer 14

Lesion in on areas that are usually exposed to sun eg. face, arms, scalp

Question 15

What is meant by a widespread distribution pattern?

Answer 15

Lesion is diffuse across multiple body areas or whole body

Question 16

What is meant by a follicular distribution pattern?

Answer 16

Lesions are located within or around hair follicles

Question 17

What is meant by a clustered distribution pattern?

Answer 17

Lesions are grouped together tightly

Question 18

What is meant by describing the elevation of a skin lesion?

Answer 18

Is it raised, flat on the skin surface or depressed

Question 19

What is meant by describing the colour of a skin lesion?

Answer 19

How is its colour different to the surrounding skin

Question 20

What term is used to describe red-pink coloured skin lesions?

Answer 20

Erythematous

Question 21

What term is used to describe purple coloured skin lesions

Answer 21

Purpuric

Question 22

What term is used to describe the colour of a skin lesion that is paler than the baseline skin colour, but still has pigment?

Answer 22

Hypopigmented

Question 23

What term is used to describe the colour of a skin lesion that is darker than the baseline skin colour?

Answer 23

Hyperpigmented

Question 24

What term is used to describe the colour of a skin lesion that has nor pigment?

Answer 24

Vitiligo

Question 25

When describing the location of a skin lesion, what 3 things should you mention?

Answer 25

Anatomical sites Unilateral or bilateral Symmetrical or asymmetrical

Question 26

How should you describe the shape of a skin lesion?

Answer 26

Geometric shape eg. Round, oval, annular, targetoid, serpiginous

Question 27

If there are multiple skin lesions, how should you overall describe their shape?

Answer 27

Are they monomorphic (identical) or polymorphic lesions

Question 28

What is meant by describing the consistency of a skin lesion, in 2 ways?

Answer 28

Does the surface look pearly, shiny, dull Does the lesion look hard, soft, flaccid, tense

Question 29

What is meant by secondary lesions?

Answer 29

Changes in a primary skin lesion that are caused naturally or by the individual

Question 30

What does skin atrophy look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 30

Thin and wrinkled skin

Question 31

What does crusting look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 31

Dried fluid over the leaking primary lesion

Question 32

What does excoriation look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 32

Linear, red scratches due to itching pruritic skin lesion

Question 33

What does lichenification look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 33

Plaque of thickened skin with prominent skin markings due to chronic pruritus

Question 34

What does scale look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 34

White/silver flakes that form over primary lesion due to increased cell turnover

Question 35

What does scarring look like, as a secondary skin lesion?

Answer 35

Replacement of normal tissue with fibrosed, hard tissue

Question 36

Which primary lesions can become erosions then ulcers?

Answer 36

Vesicles, pustules, blisters, bullae, cysts

Question 37

How should you describe the border of a skin lesion?

Answer 37

Well-demarcated (regular) or poorly-demarcated (irregular)