Question | Answer |
adip/o | fat |
lip/o | fat |
steat/o | fat |
derm/o | skin |
dermat/o | skin |
cutane/o | skin |
erythr/o | red |
hidr/o | sweat |
hist/o | tissue |
histi/o | tissue |
ischthy/o | fish |
kerat/o | hard |
scler/o | hard |
leuk/o | white |
melan/o | black |
myc/o | fungus |
onych/o | nail |
plas/o | formation |
purpur/o | purple |
seb/o | sebum (oil) |
squam/o | scale |
trich/o | hair |
xanth/o | yellow |
xer/o | dry |
epithelium | cells covering external and internal surfaces of the body |
epidermis | thin, cellular outer layer of the skin |
squamous cell layer | flat, scale-like epithelial cells comprising the outermost layers of the epidermis |
basal layer | deepest region of the epidermis |
melanocyte | a cell found in the basal layer that gives color to the skin |
melanin | dark brown to black pigment contained in melanocytes |
dermis | dense, fibrous connective tissue layer of the skin (also known as the corium) |
sebaceous glands | oil glands in the skin |
sebum | oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands |
sudoriferous glands | sweat glands |
subcutaneous tissue | connective and adipose tissue layer under the dermis |
collagen | protein substance found in skin and connective tissue |
hair | outgrowth of the skin composed of keratin |
keratin | hard protein material found in the epidermis |
lesion | an area of pathologically altered tissue (two types: primary and secondary) |
primary lesions | lesions arising from previously normal skin |
flat, nonpalpapable changes in skin color | macule, and patch |
macule | a flat, discolored spot on the skin up to 1 cm across |
patch | a flat, discolored area of skin larger than 1 cm |
elevated, palpable, solid masses | papule, plaque, nodule, tumor, wheal |
papule | a solid mass on the skin up to 0.5 cm in diameter |
plaque | a solid mass greater than 1 cm in diameter, limited to the surface of the skin |
nodule | a solid mass greater than 1 cm which extends deep into the epidermis |
tumor | a solid mass larger than 1-2 cm |
wheal | an area of localized skin edema (ex a hive) |
elevation formed by fluid within a cavity | vesicle, bulla, pustule |
vesicle | little bladder; an elevated, fluid-filled sac (blister) within or under the epidermis up to 0.5cm in diameter (ex a fever blister) |
bulla | a blister larger than 0.5 cm (ex a second degree burn) |
pustule | a pus filled sac (ex a pimple) |
secondary lesions | lesions that result in changes in primary lesions |
loss of skin surface | erosion, ulcer, excoriation, fissure |
erosion | to gnaw away, loss of superficial epidermis leaving an area of moisture but no bleeding. (ex area of moisture after rupture of a vesicle) |
ulcer | an open sore on the skin or mucous membrane that can bleed and scar and is sometimes accompanied by infection |
excoriation | a scratch mark |
fissure | a linear crack in the skin |
material on the skin surface | scale, crust |
scale | a thin flake of exfoliated epidermis (ex dandruff) |
crust | dried residue of serum (body liquid), pus, or blood on the skin (ex in impetigo) |
cicatrix of the skin | a mark left by the healing of a sore or sound showing the replacement of destroyed tissue by fibrous tissue |
keloid | an abnormal overgrowth of scar tissue that is thick and irregular |
vascular lesions | lesions of a blood vessel: cherry angioma, telangiectasia |
cherry angioma | a small, round, bright-red blood vessel tumor on the skin, often on the trunk of the elderly |
telangiectasia | a tiny, red blood vessel lesion formed by the dilation of a group of blood vessels radiating from a central arteriole. most commonly seen on the face, neck, or chest. AKA spider angioma |
spider angioma | a tiny, red blood vessel lesion formed by the dilation of a group of blood vessels radiating from a central arteriole. most commonly seen on the face, neck, or chest. AKA telangiectasia |
purpuric lesions | purpura; lesions as a result of hemorrhages into the skin. Petechia and ecchymosis |
petechia | spot; a reddish-brown, minute hemorrhagic spot on the skin that indicate a bleeding tendency - small purpura |
ecchymosis | bruise; a black and blue mark - large purpura |
epidermal tumors | skin tumors arising from the epidermis |
nevus | a congenital malformation on the skin that can be epidermal or vascular - also called a mole |
dysplastic nevus | a mole with precancerous changes |
verruca | an epidermal tumor caused by a papilloma virus - also called a wart |