Word parts
What it means
An intradermal (ID) injection puts a very small amount of liquid just under the top layer of skin. It is used for the tuberculin skin test and for allergy testing, because the reaction can be seen on the skin. The needle is short and fine, put in at a very shallow angle (about 5 to 15 degrees), bevel up, and the fluid makes a small raised bump (wheal).
For the nurse
Do not massage the site after an intradermal injection. A tuberculin skin test is read 48 to 72 hours later by measuring the firm raised area (not the redness) in millimeters.
At a glance
| Abbreviations | ID (spell out "intradermal": ID can also mean identification or infectious disease) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | intradérmico |
| Also written | intradermally |
Related terms
subcutaneous
Under the skin; in the fatty layer between the skin and the muscle.
intramuscular
Into a muscle; used for a drug given by injection into muscle tissue.
tuberculosis
An infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which most often attacks the lungs.
intra-
A word beginning that means inside or within.