Medical Terminology: Chapter 5: The Integumentary System
Erthyema
Greek word for blush. Classified for any redness of the skin. Common sign of injury or infection.
Cellulitis
Inflammation of little cells; an inflammation of the connective tissue in the dermis caused by an infection that spreads from the skin surface or hair follicles to the dermis and sometimes the subcutaneous tissue. Folliculitis - inflammation of little follicles.
Hidradenitis
Inflammation of sweat (hidr) gland (aden). Individual suffers from excessive perspiration; due to inflammation of sweat glands, which can become worsened by bacterial infection.
Leukoderma
Lightening of skin color due to reduced activity of the pigment-producing cells in the skin, the melanocytes.
Carbuncle
Live coal; a skin infection composed of a cluster of boils. Most common source of infection is Staphylococci bacteria, or staph. Symptom = hot pain.
Furuncle
Local swelling on the skin where an abscess is associated with a hair follicle.
Psoriasis
To itch (Greek); a painful, chronic disease of the skin characterized by the presence of red lesions covered with silvery epidermis scales. Believed to be inherited inflammatory disease of the skin.
TBSA
Total Body Surface Area
Tinea
Worm or larval moth (Latin); a fungal infection of the skin; often called ringworm due to the ring-shaped pattern formed in response to fungi. Three major forms: tinea capitis - forms on scalp and can lead to alopecia; tinea pedis - forms on the feet and known as athletes foot; tinea corporis - occurs elsewhere on the body.
chym/o (Diseases and Disorders)
juice
cellul/o (Diseases and Disorders)
little cell
follicul/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
little follicle
follicul/o (Diseases and Disorders)
little follicle
onych/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
nail
onych/o (Diseases and Disorders)
nail
ec- (Diseases and Disorders)
outside, out
In/tegument/ary
pertaining to covering/protecting/ boundary the inside
actin/o (Diseases and Disorders)
radiation
seb/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
sebum, oil
aut/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
self
aut/o (Treatments, Procedures, and Devices)
self
cutane/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
skin
derm/o dermat/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
skin
derm/o dermat/o (Diseases and Disorders)
skin
derm/o dermat/o (Treatments, Procedures, and Devices)
skin
hidr/o (Diseases and Disorders)
sweat
kerat/o (Diseases and Disorders)
hard
scler/o (Diseases and Disorders)
hard
crypt/o (Diseases and Disorders)
hidden
Cellulite
A local uneven surface of skin and is a sign of subcutaneous fat deposition. Relatively common in women on the thighs and buttocks.
Alopecia
A loss or lack of scalp hair is a clinical sign known as baldness. May be a sign of an infection of the scalp, high fevers, drug reactions, or emotional stress. Common appearance in men is male-patterned baldness, the result of a genetically controlled factor that prevents the development of hair follicles in certain areas of the scalp.
Trichomycosis
Fungal infection of hair (tricho); general term for a disease affecting the hair.
Pruritus
The symptom of itchy skin
Debridement
To clean the wound; excision of foreign matter and unwanted tissue.
aden/o (Diseases and Disorders)
gland
Papule
A general term describing any small, solid elevation on the skin. Ex. A comedo, or pimple.
Dermatoplasty
A general term for a surgical repair of the skin; skin tissue is transplanted to the body surface.
Pustule
A general term for an elevated area of skin filled with pus. Ex. a whitehead with pus.
Dermatitis
A generalized inflammation of the skin, involving edema of the dermis. Symptoms include pruritis, urticaria, vesicles, and wheals, or some combination of these. Major types: contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, actinic dermatits, and Eczema.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
A chronic progressive disease of connective tissue in many organs including the skin. Commonly referred to as lupus and marked by red patches on the skin of the face and joint pain.
Cyst
A closed sac or pouch on the surface of the skin that is filled with liquid or semisolid material.
Urticaria
A common allergic skin reaction to medications, foods, infection, or injury produces small fluid-filled skin elevations. A.k.a. hives. It may be accompanied by pruritus.
Abrasion
A common injury to the skin caused by scraping produces a superficial wound
Actinic keratosis
A condition of keratin (kerat), pertaining to light rays (actin). A precancerous condition of the skin caused by exposure to sunlight. It forms skin lesions resulting from overgrowths of the epidermis, usually with scaly surfaces.
Albinism
A condition or disease of white; a genetic condition characterized by the reduction of the pigment melanin in the skin. Albino = person affected with albinism.
Impetigo
A contagious skin infection; often caused by bacteria that enters a break in the skin (such as animal or insect bite) and is characterized by the presence of golden crusts following the rupture of the vesicles.
Macule
A discolored flat spot on the skin surface, such as a freckle. A macule is a sign of sun damage to the skin, and it is genetically determined.
Kaposi's sarcoma
A form of skin cancer arising from the connective tissue of dermis; indicated by the presence of brown purple patches on the skin and appears among some elderly patients. Associated with HIV infection and AIDS.
trich/o (Diseases and Disorders)
hair
Biopsy
A minor surgery involving the removal of tissue for evaluation. Bx, or bx, a necessary step toward making a diagnosis of a suspected tumor of the skin.
Nevus
A pigmented spot that is commonly called a mole. It is actually a benign tumor and if its edges become irregular or the color changes, it could should be examined as a suspect malignancy known as a melanoma.
Plastic Surgery
A popular form of skin treatment used for skin repair following a major injury, correction of a congenital defect, or cosmetic improvement
Petechia
A sign of a circulatory disorder. It occurs when a small blood vessel supplying the dermis of the skin ruptures. In light skinned people, the petechia is observed as a small red dot on the skin.
Herpes
A skin eruption producing clusters if deep blisters; an infectious disease, transferable when the vesicles burst open and physical contact is made between the carrier and another person. In the absence of lesions, it may also be transferred by body fluid contact. Major types: oral herps - caused by herpes simplex virus (HVS), genital herpes - caused by herpes virus type 2, and shingles, caused by the herpes zoster virus.
Vesicle
A small elevation of the epidermis that is filled with fluid. Ex. blister resulting from injury to the skin.
Eczema
A superficial form of dermatitis, with flakiness of the epidermis as the primary sign.
Purpura
A symptom of purple-red skin discoloration. Usually the result of a hemorrhage (broken blood vessel) that spreads blood through the skin.
Wheal
A temporary, itchy elevation of the skin, often with a white center and red perimeter; a symptom of an allergic reaction of the skin.
Verruca
A wart is a sign of infection by a papilloma virus. An effort by the skin to rid itself of the virus and is observed as a skin elevation with a thickened epidermis. Can be treated with antiviral medication.
Contusion
A.k.a. bruise. A discoloration and swelling of the skin that is symptomatic of an injury, such as a blow to the body. Common symptom following a physical trauma, like automobile accident.
Pallor
An abnormally pale color of the skin; it is a sign of an internal condition causing a decreased flow of blood to the skin.
Ulcer
An erosion through the skin or mucous membrane. A common form of ulcer arises from lack of movement when lying supine for an extended period time (decubitus).
Seborrheic dermatitis
An inherited form of characterized by excessive sebum production.
Burn
An injury to the skin caused by excessive exposure to fire, electricity, chemicals, or sunlight. Total body surface area (TBSA) is the level of burn and depth determined by the amount of surface area damaged. Large areas burned becomes damaged and exposed to infection. Burn depth is recorded as partial thickness, full thickness, and deep.
Keloid
An overgrowth of scar tissue that forms an elevated lesion on the skin. The large scar is often discolored, which sets it apart from adjacent, normal skin.
Acne
An uncomfortable condition of the skin resulting from bacterial infection of sebaceous glands and ducts. Characterized by the presence of numerous open comedones (blackheads)and closed comedons (whiteheads) in affected parts of the face, and also often involves the neck, back, and chest. The most common skin disease of adolescence, due to the rapid growth of sebaceous glands during this period life.
Melanoma
Black tumor; most life-threatening skin cancer; arises from the cells normally providing the pigment melanin to the skin, melanocytes. Tumor grows rapidly and metastasizes.
Carcinoma
Cancerous tumor; Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are tumors arising from the epidermis that usually remain localized. Third form of skin cancer is melanoma.
Contact dermatitis
Caused by physical contact with a triggering substance such as poison ivy.
Actinic dermitis
Caused by sunlight exposure.
Emollient
Chemical agent that softens of smooths the skin. Topical and oral antibiotics - used to manage infections, like acne and carbuncles. Retinoids - used to manage certain forms of acne because they cause the upper layers of the epidermis to slough away. Ultraviolet light therapy - used to treat acne and related disorders.
Cicatrix
Clinical term for a scar; plural form is cicatrices.
Edema
Clinical term for fluid accumulation. Swelling occurs when fluid accumulates in a confined space, such as beneath the skin. Common sign of injury and infection.
Comedo
Clinical term for pimple. Local elevation of the skin arising from the build up of oil from sebaceous (oil) glands. Bacteria feed on the oil, attracting the movement of white blood cells and their products and resulting in the localized inflammation. Plural comedones.
Ecchymosis
Condition of (-osis) leaking (chym) out (ec-); a condition of the skin caused by leaking blood vessels in the dermis, producing purplish patches of purpura larger in size than petechiae.
Paronychia
Condition of alongside the nail; an infection around the nail.
Cyanosis
Condition of blue; Blue tinge of color to an area of the skin and is a sign of a cardiovascular disturbance. Cyanosis most apparent in the lips and fingertips.
Onychomycosis
Condition of fungus (myc) of the nail; a fungal infection of one or more nail
Onychocryptosis
Condition of hidden (crypt) nail (onycho); a nail becomes buried in the skin due to abnormal growth. Commonly known as an ingrown nail. A disease of the nail is an onychopathy.
Pediculosis
Condition of parasitic body louse (paradiculo); occurs mostly on the scalp (head lice), but can be find in pubic hair (pubic lice), and the body (body lice). Treated with medicated shampoo.
Xeroderma
Dry (xero) skin; characterized by abnormally dry skin. Caused by hyposecretion (abnormally low secretion) of the oil glands and is an inherited condition.
Abscess
Localized elevation of the skin containing a cavity which is a sign of a local infection. The cavity contains a mixture of bacteria, white blood cells, damaged tissue, and fluids collectively known as pus and is surrounded by inflamed tissue. Production of pus = suppuration, purulence, and pyogenesis.
Dermabrasion
Process of rubbing away skin; form of cosmetic surgery where the skin is surgically changed to improve appearance. Abrasives similar to sand paper are sued to remove unwanted scars and other elevations. Chemical peels (chemical agents) are also used to remove the outer epidermal layers to treat acne, wrinkles and sun damaged skin.
Functions of Integumentary System
Protection against temp. changes, dehydration, and infectious microorganisms. Sweat glands, blood vessels and layer of fat regulate internal body temp. Receptors detect environmental changes.
Scabies
Scratch (Latin); a skin eruption caused by the female itch mite, which burrows into the skin to extract blood. Produces symptoms of dermatitis, like erythema, swelling or edema, and pruritus.
Dermatoautoplasty
Self skin repair; the surgery involves using the patient's own skin as a graft, usually after it has grown in a media solution. Also called autograft. Dermatoheteroplasty (allograft) - skin graft from another person. Dermatome used to cut thin slices of skin for grafting; also used to excise small skin lesions.
Scleroderma
Skin hardness; an abnormal thickening or hardness of the skin, caused by overproduction of collagen in the dermis.
Onychomalacia
Softening of the nail; a nail is abnormally soft. Often a sign of calcium or vitamin D deficiency.
SqCCa
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Rhytidectomy
Surgical excision of skin wrinkles (rhytido); liposuction - removal of subcutaneous fat (fat immediately deep to skin) by insertion of a device that applies a vacuum to pull the fat tissue out of the body.
Integumentary
System that forms the entire surface area of the body and dominated by the largest organ, the skin. Composed of two layers: dermis and epidermis. Includes smaller accessory organs: hair follicles, nails, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and sensory receptors.
SLE
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Fissure
The clinical term for a narrow break or slit in the skin.
Jaundice
The clinical term for an abnormal yellow coloration of the skin and eyes. A sign of liver or gallbladder disease. The yellowing results from an abnormal release of bile pigments by the liver.
Laceration
The common result of an injury caused by a tear or perhaps a cut by a sharp object with an irregular surface.
Dermatology
The medical field that specializes in the health and disease of the integumentary system. Dermatologist = physician specializing in dermatology
Induration
The process of becoming firm or hard; a local hard area on the skin, or perhaps elsewhere in the body. Usually a sign of an of an excessive deposit of collagen or calcium.
par- (Diseases and Disorders)
alongside, abnormal
Dermis
an inner, deep layer composed of connective tissue
Epidermis
an outer layer of epithelium
BCC
basal cell carcinoma
Bx, bx
biopsy
melan/o (Diseases and Disorders)
black
cyan/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
blue
pedicul/o (Diseases and Disorders)
body louse
carcin/o (Diseases and Disorders)
cancer
kerat/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
hard
xer/o (Diseases and Disorders)
dry
myc/o (Diseases and Disorders)
fungus
aden/o (Anatomy and Physiology)
gland
abras/o (Treatments, Procedures, and Devices)
to rub away
albin/o (Diseases and Disorders)
white
leuk/o (Diseases and Disorders)
white
rhytid/o (Treatments, Procedures, and Devices)
wrinkle