Original MICA image-reading exercise, unscored. No clinical narrative absent from the source is added.
- Describe visible findings before proposing an interpretation.
- Suggest an interpretation and at least one image limitation.
- Which clinical findings or investigations would complement this observation?
Reveal the explained reading
Oral candidiasis
- Form
- Pseudomembranous or erythematous
- Plaques
- Often removable
- Beneath plaque
- Red mucosa
- Predisposition
- Dry mouth, corticosteroids, immunosuppression
Morphological description
The pseudomembranous form produces removable white plaques; other forms are red and painful.
Causes and diagnostic direction
Overgrowth is promoted by changes in local mucosa, flora or immune defences.
Differential diagnoses
Non-removable plaques raise leukoplakia or another mucosal lesion; appearance alone may be insufficient.
Pitfalls and limitations
A positive culture may reflect carriage; a photograph establishes neither invasion nor fungal species.
Take-home message
Combine appearance, symptoms and predisposing factors; use mycological testing when clinically appropriate.
Sources
Documentary review: 2026-10-12
Media source & rights
- Author
- James Heilman, MD
- Original source
- James Heilman, MD — Human tongue infected with oral candidiasis.jpg — CC BY-SA 3.0 — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHuman_tongue_infected_with_oral_candidiasis.jpg
- Licence
- CC BY-SA 3.0
- Changes
- Orientation EXIF normalisée ; conversion WebP et redimensionnement proportionnel plafonné à 1600/400px ; aucun recadrage, aucune retouche médicale ; EXIF supprimé. Dérivé écran proportionnel ≤1280 px, WebP qualité76 ; vignette ≤320 px qualité72. Source acquise et dérivé initial conservés sans modification ; aucune retouche médicale, aucun recadrage.
- Dimensions
- 985 × 1280 px
- Check
- 2026-10-11