A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:
- General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; furthermore:
- Inspection (viewing).
- Skin and mucous membranes
- Inspection and palpation (palpation) of the lymph node stations* .
- Auscultation (listening) of the heart
- Auscultation of the lungs
- Palpation of the abdomen (abdomen)
- Inspection (viewing).
- Cancer screening
* Notes on palpation findings (palpation findings).
- Soft, well-displaced and pressure-dolent lymph node enlargement → often in inflammation.
- Small, hard, painless, displaced lymph nodes – sign of old healed lymphadenitis (lymphadenitis).
- Hard, painless, with the surrounding tissue “caked” lymph nodes → malignant (malignant) changes (eg, metastases).
