• 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)