Surgery and Radiology Section

INTEGUMENT AND SKELETON

• Careful inspection and palpation of muscle skeletal system and of the integument may be performed at one time or on a regional basis in conjunction with other parts of the examination.
• Comparison of one side with other for symmetry is best done as one step in the examination.

Integument

• Although the skin is not often involved in neurologic diseases careful inspection may reveal clues to the diagnosis. Scars may indicate previous trauma.
• Warm nails may be associated with paresis or with proprioceptive deficits.
• Coat and eye color may be related to a hereditary abnormality.
• The temperature of the extremities may be significantly lowered with arterial occlusion.

Skeleton

• Careful palpation of skeletal system may reveal masses, deviation of normal contour, abnormal motion and crepitation.