- General inspection
- Weight (normal, reduced, increased)
- Bruising (thrombocytopenia, scurvy etc)
- Petechiae (pinhead bleeding)
- Ecchymoses (large bruises)
- Pigmentation (lymphoma)
- Rashes and infiltrative lesions (lymphoma)
- Ulceration (neutropenia)
- Cyanosis (polycythaemia)
- Plethora (polycythaemia)
- Jaundice (haemolysis)
- Scratch marks (myeloproliferative diseases, lymphoma)
- Hands
- Nails-koilonychia, pallor
- Palmar crease pallor (anaemia)
- Arthropathy (haemophilia, secondary gout, drug treatment etc)
- Pulse
- Epitrochlear and axillary nodes
- ensure proper technique for axillary lymphadenopathy
- Face
- Sclera-jaundice, pallor, conjunctival suffusion (polycythaemia)
- Mouth-gum hypertrophy (monocytic leukaemia etc.), ulceration, infection, haemorrhage (marrow aplasia etc.); atrophic glossitis, angular stomatitis (iron, vitamin deficiencies)
- Tongue-amyloidosis
- Cervical nodes (sitting up)
- Palpate from behind
- Bony tenderness
- Spine
- Sternum
- Clavicles
- Shoulders
- Lungs
- Pleural effusion
- Abdomen, chest (lying flat) and genitalia
- radiation tatoos
- hepatosplenomegaly
- Inguinal nodes
- Detailed examination
- Ascites, shifting dullness, abdominal masses, scars
- Legs
- Vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura-buttocks, thighs)
- Bruising
- Pigmentation
- Ulceration (e.g. haemoglobinopathies)
- Neurological signs (subacute combined degeneration, peripheral neuropathy in POEMS, IgM MGUS)
- Other
- Fundi (haemorrhages, infection etc)
- Temperature chart (infection)
- Urine analysis (haematuria, bile etc)
- Rectal and pelvic examination (blood loss)