Which description best defines a papule?

• A. A circumscribed, elevated, solid lesion up to 1 cm
• B. A circumscribed, elevated fluid-filled lesion larger than 1 cm
• C. A flat pigmented spot
• D. A soft, mobile nodule

Answer: (A)

A papule is a small, circumscribed, elevated, solid lesion that measures up to about 1 cm in diameter. It is not fluid-filled, which distinguishes it from vesicles or bullae, and it is smaller and less deep than a nodule. The description here matches a papule precisely: a raised, solid lesion limited to 1 cm or less. In contrast, flat pigmented spots are macules, fluid-filled lesions that are larger than 1 cm are bullae, and a soft, mobile lump that’s deeper and often larger describes a nodule.