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