Cutaneous endometriosis: non-invasive analysis by epiluminescence microscopy

Vincenzo De Giorgi, V De Giorgi, Daniela Massi, D Massi, Francesca Mannone, F Mannone, Marcello Stante, M Stante, Paolo Carli, P Carli
Clinical and experimental dermatology · 2003 · vol. 28(3) , pp. 315–317 · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2230.2003.01194.x · PMID:12780722 · W2071793671
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 29 in-corpus citations
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Epiluminescence microscopy revealed a distinctive pattern of homogeneous reddish pigmentation with "red atolls" in cutaneous endometriosis, aiding diagnosis by differentiating it from melanoma.

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Abstract

The clinical appearance of cutaneous endometriosis can share some features with malignant melanoma, thus representing a possible cause for concern in both patient and clinician. In recent years, the use of epiluminescence microscopy (ELM, dermoscopy) has proved useful in improving the accuracy of diagnosis of pigmented skin lesions. The purpose of this study was to analyse the dermoscopic features of cutaneous endometriosis with histopathological correlation. We studied a case which showed homogeneous reddish pigmentation, regularly distributed. Within this typical pigmentation there were small red globular structures, but more defined and of a deeper hue, which we called 'red atolls'. ELM thus revealed a distinctive pattern in cutaneous endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Pigmentation Disorders Adult Diagnosis, Differential Endometriosis Female Humans Luminescent Measurements Melanoma Melanoma Microscopy Microscopy Pigmentation Disorders Skin Neoplasms Skin Neoplasms Umbilicus Umbilicus

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (29)

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