Elsevier

Clinics in Dermatology

Volume 20, Issue 3, May–June 2002, Pages 259-262
Clinics in Dermatology

Dermoscopic classification of Spitz/Reed nevi

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0738-081X(02)00226-2Get rights and content

Section snippets

Clinical and histopathologic features

Clinical features consist in most cases of a solitary, asymptomatic, round to oval, dome-shaped papule or, less frequently, a plaque, a nodule, or a papillated polyp. The surface is commonly smooth or verrucous, and a scaly, crusted, or eroded surface is sometimes evident. There may be slow or rapid growth, color change, and rarely, bleeding or localized pruritus. The duration of the lesions ranges from weeks to years. A rapidly growing, pink-colored or reddish papule on the head and neck

Dermoscopic features

Clinical differential diagnosis of Spitz/Reed nevi may include either benign or malignant neoplasms, such as Clark nevus, dermatofibroma, angioma, granuloma pyogenicum, primary adnexal tumor, solitary mastocytoma, pseudolymphoma, and melanoma. In such instances, dermoscopic analysis has been shown to represent a useful technique to establish in most cases a definite diagnosis.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 An improvement of diagnostic accuracy of PSNs from 46% to 93% has been reported by

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      However, a clinicopathologic evaluation of a large case series showed that the histopathologic distinction between these 2 diagnostic categories is often a matter of great debate.27 On dermoscopy, Spitz/Reed nevi can display 6 main dermoscopic patterns: vascular, globular, starburst, reticular, homogeneous, and atypical.27,31 The vascular pattern is mainly composed of dotted vessels,32,33 which are monomorphic, regularly distributed throughout the lesion, and surrounded by regularly intersecting white lines, the so-called “reticular depigmentation.”34

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      The first is characterized by diffuse blue to black pigmentation that extends into radial streaks at the periphery, contributing to a stellate appearance. The second pattern consists of prominent brown to grey-blue pigmentation bordered by a peripheral rim of discrete pigment globules.31,32 Lesions may present an evolving dermatoscopic pattern from globular to starburst, and some may further change by losing the starburst pattern in favor of a homogeneous blue-brown pigmentation with or without central reticular pigmentation.33,34

    • Dermoscopy: The Essentials

      2011, Dermoscopy: The Essentials: Expert Consult - Online and Print
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