Which examination method involves examination by touch?

• A. Palpation
• B. Mammography
• C. MUGA scan
• D. Pap smear

Answer: (A)

Palpation is the examination by touch. In palpation, the clinician uses fingers and hands to feel for characteristics such as size, shape, texture, mobility, and tenderness of underlying structures, whether assessing an abdomen, a lump, a pulse, or a joint. This hands-on method provides real-time information about what’s beneath the skin and can reveal abnormalities that imaging might not show immediately. The other options involve imaging or sampling rather than touch: mammography uses X-ray imaging of the breast, a MUGA scan is a nuclear medicine test to evaluate heart function, and a Pap smear collects cervical cells for cytology rather than being a tactile assessment.