In order to make the correct diagnosis, it is important to have practice a professional approach. This includes:
Correct positioning means placing the patient and the doctor in such a way that maximum advantage is gained. This may require the patient to lie on their side or on their front to allow access to the lump. If the patient is not placed in a suitable position, the assessment of the lump may be compromised.
Exposing the area of concern is paramount to making a diagnosis. Also an adjacent area may have to be exposed e.g. a skin lesion of the leg, which may be malignant. It will be beneficial to expose the ipsilateral inguinal region to examine for enlarged lymph nodes.
It may be that exposure may proceed the positioning of the patient. For example, if the patient has a lump over the thigh the patient may find it easier to take off some of his outdoor lower clothes, before lying supine for the examination. Otherwise once positioned, he may have to stand up and to do this before re-positioning himself. Remember, some of these patients may be infirm and elderly.
N.B. it is important to maintain the patient's dignity without compromising the doctor's ability to make the diagnosis.