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Usefulness of confocal microscopy in distinguishing between basal cell carcinoma and intradermal melanocytic nevus on the face.

Gamo R, Floristan U, Pampín A, Caro D, Pinedo F, López-Estebaranz JL. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2015 Oct;106(8):e41-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2015.03.007. Epub 2015 Jun 18.

ABSTRACT

The clinical distinction between basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and intradermal melanocytic nevus lesions on the face can be difficult, particularly in young patients or patients with multiple nevi. Dermoscopy is a useful tool for analyzing characteristic dermoscopic features of BCC, such as cartwheel structures, maple leaf-like areas, blue-gray nests and dots, and ulceration. It also reveals arborizing telangiectatic vessels and prominent curved vessels, which are typical of BCC, and comma vessels, which are typical of intradermal melanocytic nevi. It is, however, not always easy to distinguish between these 2 conditions, even when dermoscopy is used. We describe 2 facial lesions that posed a clinical and dermoscopic challenge in two 38-year-old patients; confocal microscopy showed separation between tumor nests and stroma and polarized nuclei, which are confocal microscopy features of basal cell carcinoma.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y AEDV. All rights reserved.

KEYWORDS: Basal cell carcinoma; Confocal microscopy; Dermatoscopia; Dermoscopy; Epitelioma basocelular; Intradermal nevus; Microscopia confocal; Nevus intradérmico

PMID:26093995 DOI:10.1016/j.ad.2015.03.007

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