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Clinical Buzzwords
Buzzwords used in medical examinations
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Monoclonal spike on serum electrophoresis (M-protein) | Multiple myeloma |
Smudge cells on peripheral smear | CLL |
“Palpable olive” | Pyloric Stenosis |
“String sign” (long narrow pyloric lumen) | Pyloric Stenosis |
“Bag of worms” in scrotum | Varicocele |
“Boggy uterus” | Adenomyosis |
Steeple sx on x-ray | croup |
Thumb sx on x-ray | epiglottitis |
“Cherry red spot” (red fovea) on Fundoscopy | CRAO |
“Blood and Thunder retina” | CR Vein occlusion |
Rust-colored sputum | Strep. Pneumo PNA |
Currant Jelly sputum | Klebsiella pneumo. PNA |
Unilateral ptosis, anhidrosis, miosis | Horner’s Syndrome |
Parenchymal bullae or subpleural blebs | Emphysema (patho.) |
ECG - S1Q3 inverted T3 | PE |
CXR honeycombing | pulmonary fibrosis or bronchiectasis |
Lung bx - nonencaseating granulomas | Sarcoidosis |
“Hot potato voice” | peritonsillar abscess |
CXR visceral pleural line or “deep sulcus sign” on supine | PTX |
Pharyngeal gray pseudomembrane | Diphtheria |
Electrical alternans on ECG | cardiac effusion (patho.) |
Osler nodes (pnful finger, toe, feet lesions), Janeway lesions (pnless palm and sole lesions), Roth spots (exudative retinal lesions/hemhorrages) | Infective Endocarditis |
Bite cells (loss of Heinz body) on peripheral smear | G6PD deficiency |
Heinz bodies on peripheral smear | G6PD def. or thalassemia |
“Beefy red tongue” | pronounced anemia |
Pica | Fe deficiency |
Macro-ovalocytes and hypersegmented PMNs | Folate def. anemia (patho.) |
Pancytopenia with circulating blasts | acute leukemia |
Auer rods on peripheral smear (needle-like inclusions in eosinophiles) | AML (can also be ALL, but less likely) |
Blast-crisis | CML |
Reed-Sternberg Cells on LN bx | Hodgkin’s Lymphoma |
Rouleau Formation on peripheral smear | Multiple Myeloma |
Bence Jones Proteins in urine | Muliple Myeloma |
“Parrot-beaked” esophagus (dilated esophagus taper to the distal obstruction) on barium swallow | Achalasia |
Cobblestone-pattern filling defects with segmental areas of involvement (skip lesions) on Barium enema or CT | Chron’s Dz. |
Currant Jelly stools | Intussusception |
Sausage-like mass on abdominal exam | Intussusception |
Chvostek’s Sign (twitch facial nerve on tap) | Hypocalcemia |
Trousseau’s Sign (carpal tunnel spasm with BP cuff for 3 min.) | Hypocalcemia |
Herberden’s nodes (DIP nodes) | OA |
Bouchard’s nodes (PIP nodes) | OA |
Swan neck deformity (flexed DIP, extended PIP, flexed MCP) | RA |
Boutinniere deformity (extended DIP, flexed PIP) | RA |
Subcutaneous nodules on extensor surfaces | RA (patho.) |
Koebner’s phenomenon (maculopapular rash elicited by scratching that appears in the evening) | Juvenile RA |
“Cup and Saucer” appearance of proximal phalanx on x-ray | Psoriatic arthritis |
Tinel’s sign (percussion of volar wrist causes tingling) | Carpal Tunnel |
Phalen’s sign (wrist flexion for 1 min causes pain) | Carpal Tunnel |
Fx of 5th MC neck | Boxer’s fx |
Distal radial fx with dorsal angulation | Colle’s fx |
Distal radial fx with volar angulation | Smith’s fx |
Sprain of ulnar collateral ligament of thumb | Gamekeeper’s thumb |
Anterior fat pad sign | hemarthrosis in radial head fx |
Anatomical snuffbox pain | Scaphoid fx |
“Bamboo appearance” on x-ray of spine | Ankylosing Spondylitis |
“Cresent sign” of hip on x-ray | Avascular necrosis of hip |
Posterior Fat pad sign | Radial Head fx |
Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles | Alzheimer’s |
Battle sx | Basilar skull fx |
WBC casts | pyelo. (or nephritis) |
Hyaline casts | ARF (or normal in athletes) |
Renal Tubular Epitheleal cell casts (“muddy brown casts”) | ATN |
RBC casts | glomerulonephritis |
Positive Finkelstein (pain with fist ulnar deviation) | DeQuervain’s |
Pedunculated bone mass capped in cartilage | Osteochondroma |
Gottron’s sx (scaly, papule rash on dorsal hands) | Dermatomyositis |
Heliotrope rash (eyelid erythema) | Dermatomyositis (or SLE) |
Low morning cortisol with elevated ACTH | Addison’s disease |
More than 125 mg/dL urine cortisol in 24 hours | Cushings |
Milkman lines or Looser zones (pseudofractures) | Osteomalacia |
Eruptive and tendious xanthomas | Hyperlipidemia (patho.) |
Petechial rash with meningeal sxs | Neisseria Meningitidis |
KOH hyphae and spores (“spaghetti and meatballs”) | Tinea versicolor |
S-shaped burrows on skin | Scabies |
“Snowstorm” on TVU with elevated BHcg | Hydatidiform mole |
“Rope-like” on CBE | Fibrocystic breasts |
Herald patch then “Christamas tree” appearing rash | Pityrasis Rosea |
Oncholysis with oil spots | Psoriasis (patho.) |
Hot tub folliculitis | Pseudomonas aureginosa |
Terry’s nails (white nail bed) | Liver disease/cirrhosis |
Azure (blue) lunulae on nails | Wilson’s disease |
Absent or decreased femoral pulses with a murmur | Coarctation of the aorta (patho.) |
Kayser-Fleischer rings (brown rings btw iris and cornea) | Wilson’s Disease |
Boot-shaped heart | RVH from Tet. Of Fallot |
“Egg on a string” (narrow mediastinum) | Transposition of Great Vessels |
Lower BP in arms vs legs | Coarct. Aorta |
Barking cough like a seal | Croup |
“Figure 3 sign” on CXR | Coarct. Aorta |
“Machine-like” murmur | Patent Ductus Arteriosis |
Absence of “Scottie-Dog” sign on spinal film | Spondyloysis |
Inability to pass NGT in an infant | Choanal Atresia |
Palpable, non-tender gallbladder (Courvoisier’s sign) | Pancreatic CA |
Charcot’s triad (fever, chills, RUQ pain, jaundice) | Ascending Cholangitis |
“Bird beak” deformity on x-ray | Achalasia or Sigmoid Volvulus |
Apple-core lesion on Barium Enema | Colon CA |
Lead pipe deformity (loss of normal haustral markings) on Barium Enema | UC |
Clue cells on wet-prep and positive Whiff test (amine odor) | BV (Gardnerella vaginalis) |
“Strawberry” Cervix | Trichomonas |
Hyphae and buds on KOH Prep | Vaginal Candidiasis |
“String sign”/ Sign of Kantor (Stricture or Stenosis) on Barium Enema | Chron’s disease |
Chandelier Sign on pelvic/speculum exam (cervical motion tenderness) | PID |
Koplik spots-grains of sand on an erythematous base (Blue-White buccal lesions) | Measles/Rubeola (patho.) |
“Sandpaper” rash (like sunburn with goosebumps) | Scarlet Fever |
“Strawberry tongue” | Scarlet Fever |
“Honey” golden crusts on face | Impetigo (Streptococcus Pyoderma) |
Gram-positive, encapsulated, box-shaped rods in chains | Cutaneous Anthrax |
“Rice-water” diarrhea (gray, turbid, and without odor, blood, or pus) | Cholera |
“Pea-soup” Diarrhea | Enteric/Typhoid fever |
Hyperplastic prickle cells with excess keratin | HPV skin warts |
Koilocytotic squamous cells or vacuolated Squamous epithelial cells in clumps on Pap | HPV cervical warts |
Multinucleated giant cells on Tzanck Smear | Herpes Simplex Virus |
Intracytoplasmic inclusions (“owl’s eyes”) on tissue biopsy | CMV |
“Pizza pie” (neovascularization with profliferation) on Fund | CMV |
“Satellite lesions” on buttocks | Diaper dermatitis with candida |
“Bull’s eye” skin lesion | Erythema Migrans from Lyme Dz. |
“String of Pearls” on ovarian US | PCOS |
“Sack of grapes” or “grape-like vesicles” on TVU | Complete Hydatidiform Mole |
5 Ps (purple, planar, polygonal, pruritic papule) | Lichen Planus |
Lesions that have white lines (Wickham’s striae) | Lichen Planus |
“Slapped cheek” syndrome | Parvovirus B19/ Fifth’s Dz/ Erythema Infecticosum |
Cobblestoning on colonoscopy | Crohn’s Disease |
Dance sign (no BS in RLQ) | Intussesception |
Rovsing sx (LLQ palpation produces RLQ pain) | Appendicitis |
Aaron sx (McBurney’s point palpation causes stomach or chest pain) | Appendicitis |
Gram (-) intracellular diplococci | Neisseria gonorrheae |
Chadwick sign (blue cervix) | Pregnancy |
Hairlike cytoplasmic projections on lymphocytes | Hairy Cell Leukemia |
“Tea and Toast diet” | Folate Deficiency |
Perihilar infiltrates (“butterfly pattern”) | PCP PNA |
“Floppy baby syndrome” | Botulism |
Rose spots after initial infection symptoms | Typhoid fever (and other Salmonella infections) |
(+) Widal agglutination test | Typhoid fever |
“Whirlpool” of intraluminal worms on KUB | Ascariasis (Ascaris Lumbricoides) |
Pear-shaped trophozoites with 2 nuclei and 4 flagella | Giardia |
Multiple ring-enhancing lesions on brain CT or MRI in HIV pt | Toxoplasmosis |
(+) Heterophil antibodies (monospot) | Mononucleosis |
Negri bodies on brain tissue | Rabies |
Vesicular rash at different stages | Varicella |
Nikolsky’s Sign (manual pressure separates epidermis from the dermis) | Pemphigus Vulgaris (or toxic epidermal necrolysis) |
Coral red fluorescence with Wood’s lamp | Erythrasma |
Bile stained eggs and proglottids in stool exam | Fish tapeworm |
Flagellated, curved, oxidase (+) gram (-) rods in stool | Campylobacter jejuni |
“Coin-shaped” or “Discoid” plaques with vesicles and papules | Nummular eczema |
Encapsulated organisms on India Ink | Cryptococcus neoformans |
“Fungus ball” on CXR | Aspergillus fumigatus PNA |
Umilicated papules | Molluscum Contagiosum |
Fruity breath | DKA |
“Pill-rolling” tremor | Parkinsons |
“Moon facies and buffalo hump” | Cushings |
Spontaneous Hemarthroses | Hemophilia |
Triple Layered sputum | Brochiectasis |
Cafe aulait spots and rubbery skin nodules | Neurofibromatosis |
“Stuck on” waxy lesion | Seb. K |
(+) Scotch tape test | Pinworms |
Anatomical Snuffbox tenderness | Scaphoid fx |
Spontaneous Hemarthroses | Hemophilia |
Distended neck veins, decreased BP, muffled heart sounds- Beck's Triad | Cardiac tamponade |
Double bubble sign on abd xray | Duodenal atresia in an infant |
Auspitz sign (pin point bleed on peeling of scab) | Psoriasis |
“Onion skin" appearance on x-ray | Ewings sarcoma |
Rodent ulcer | Basal cell ca |
Prominent epicanthal folds, sandal toe, and simian creases | Downs Syndrome |
Heavy, painless vaginal bleeding in the 2nd or 3rd trimester | Placentia previa |
Heavy, painful vaginal bleeding in the 2nd or 3rd trimester | Placenta abruption |
Presence of a paratesticular nodule at the superior aspect of the testicle, with its characteristic blue-dot appearance (Blue-dot sign) | testicular appendix torsion (patho.) |
Delta waves on EKG | Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome |
Kerley B lines on CXR | CHF (or pulm. Fibrosis or carcinomatosis) |
“Ring of fire” on US | Ectopic Pregnancy |
Dinner fork deformity | Colle’s fx |
Tearing chest pain radiating to the back in a very tall male with long, slender hands/fingers | Marfan Syndrome – aortic dissection |
“Dew drops on a rose petal” | Chicken pox |
Drusen spots (hard yellow-white deposits in the macula under pigment epithelium) | Macular Degeneration (nonexudative) |
Brushfield spots (on the iris) | Down’s Syndrome |
Funduscopic - Arteriolar constriction, flame hemorrhages, cotton wool spots, hard exudates | HTN Retinopathy |
Funduscopic - Cotton wool spots, hemorrhages, microaneurysms, hard exudates, venous dilatation | Nonproliferative DM Retinopathy (early) |
Funduscopic - Cotton wool spots, hemorrhages, microaneurysms, hard exudates, neovascularization | Proliferatvie DM Retinopathy (late) |
Negative Birefringent needle-shaped crystals (parallel and yellow) | Gout |
Positive Birefringent rhomboid-shaped crystals (Perpendicular and blue) | Pseudogout |
“Sunburst” on bone x-ray | Osteosarcoma |
Bubbly lytic lesion on x-ray (“ground-glass”) | Fibrous Dysplasia |
“Corkscrew” esophagus on barium swallow | Esophageal spasm |
Cullen and Grey-Turner sxs | Necrotizing Pancreatitis (also in ectopic) |
Sausage digits | Reiter’s |
“Shaggy” mucosa on barium swallow | Candida |
Multiple, small, volcanic-shaped ulcers on barium swallow | Herpes |
Large, deep linear ulcers on barium swallow | CMV |
Hazy/steamy cornea with a fixed, dilated pupil | Angle-closure glaucoma |
Bell-clapper deformity | Abnormal attachment of testis in the scrotum (risk factor for torsion) |
Prehn sign (pain relieved with elevation of scrotum) | Epididymitis |
“Racoon eyes” | Orbital fx |
CSF oligoclonal bands | MS |
Lhermitte sign (electrical feeling down the back with neck flexion) | MS |
Hemorrhagic necrosis of temporal lobes on CT | Herpetic encephalitis |
Intravenous inclusions/Pick bodies | Pick dz. |
Pellagra (diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia) | Niacin def. |
Diffuse vacuolar changes of gray matter with reactive astrocytosis on cortical bx | Creutzfeldt-Jakob Dz. |
“Eggshell” pattern from calcified LNs on CXR | Silicosis |
Low plasma rennin with increased 24 hour urine aldosterone | Hyperaldosteronism |
Dimple sx on ant. Medial surface of the knee | Posterolateral knee dislocation |
Yellow CSF from hemolysis (xanthochromia) | Subarachnoid bleed |
Hanging teardrop sign (herniation of orbital fat into max. sinus) | Orbital fx |
Open bomb-bay door sign (bone fragments in the sinus) | Orbital fx |
Silver, copper-wiring and AV nicking on Fund. | HTN retinopathy |
Westmark sign (regional area of decreased pulm. Vascularity on CXR | PE |
Peripheral wedge-shaped consolidation/shadow on pleural surface (Hamptom hump) | PE |
Shoulder sx (bulge of pyloric m. into the antrum) | Pyloric Stenosis |
Kayser-Fleisher rings (green-yellow ring around cornea) | Wilsons dz |
Synovial proliferation with pannus formation | RA |
Codman’s sign (peri-osteal elevation that forms an angle with the bone cortex) | Osteosarcoma |
Bilious vomiting and abdominal distention in a newborn | Duodenal atresia |
A single or hypoechoic ring with a hyperechoic center (target/donut sign) on US | Intussusception |
“Thumbprinting” of bowel | Ischemia |
“Sentinel Loop” or “Colon cut-off sx” of gas pattern on KUB | Pancreatitis |
Curschmann spirals (mucus casts in small airways) | Asthma |
Signet Ring (thick bronchial walls) on CXR | Bronchiectasis |
Schaumann’s bodies and asteroid bodies | Sarcoidosis |
Virchow’s node (L supraclavicular LAD) | Mets from GI tumor |
Anti-glomerular Basement membrane Abs with hematuria and hemoptysis | Good-Pasteur’s Syndrome (patho.) |
Honey-combing with calcified parietal pleural plaques | Asbestosis |
Kerley B lines | CHF |
Pericardial Friction rub | Pericarditis |
“Water bottle” appearance of cardiac silhouette | Pericardial effusion |
Erythema Marginatum (“bathing suit distribution”) | Rheumatic fever |
Murmur with wide pulse pressure | Aortic Insuff. |
Osborn wave aka. J wave (upward deflection of S wave) | Hypothermia (patho.) |
“Diamond-shaped murmur” (crescendo-decrescendo) on precordial chest | Aortic Stenosis |
Mid-systolic click | Mitral Valve Prolapse |
Opening snap murmur | Mitral stenosis |