Myelodysplastic Syndrome: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

• General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
  • Inspection (viewing).
    • Skin, mucous membranes, and sclerae (white part of the eye) [pallor; petechiae (minute pinpoint hemorrhage of skin/mucous membranes); increased hematoma formation (bruising/blue spots)]
    • Abdomen (abdomen)
      • Shape of the abdomen?
      • Skin color? Skin texture?
      • Efflorescences (skin changes)?
      • Pulsations? Bowel movements?
      • Visible vessels?
      • Scars? Hernias (fractures)?
  • Examination of the abdomen
    • Percussion (tapping) of the abdomen
      • Attenuation of tapping sound by enlarged liver or spleen [hepatomegaly (liver enlargement) and/or splenomegaly (spleen enlargement)].
    • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen and lymph node stations (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, guarding tension?, hernial orifices?, renal bearing knocking pain?) [Lymph node enlargement.]
• Cancer prevention

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.