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. 2009 Apr;160(4):756-61.
doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08986.x. Epub 2008 Dec 16.

Dermoscopy of cutaneous leishmaniasis

A Llambrich  1 , P Zaballos, F Terrasa, I Torne, S Puig, J Malvehy
Affiliations

Dermoscopy of cutaneous leishmaniasis

A Llambrich et al. Br J Dermatol. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Dermoscopy has been proposed as a diagnostic tool in the case of skin infections and parasitosis but no specific dermoscopic criteria have been described for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL).

Objectives: To describe the dermoscopic features of CL.

Methods: Dermoscopic examination (using the DermLite Foto; 3Gen, LLC, Dana Point, CA, U.S.A.) of 26 CL lesions was performed to evaluate specific dermoscopic criteria.

Results: We observed the following dermoscopic features: generalized erythema (100%), 'yellow tears' (53%), hyperkeratosis (50%), central erosion/ulceration (46%), erosion/ulceration associated with hyperkeratosis (38%) and 'white starburst-like pattern' (38%). Interestingly, at least one vascular structure described in skin neoplasms was observed in all cases: comma-shaped vessels (73%), linear irregular vessels (57%), dotted vessels (53%), polymorphous/atypical vessels (26%), hairpin vessels (19%), arborizing telangiectasia (11%), corkscrew vessels (7%) and glomerular-like vessels (7%). Combination of two or more different types of vascular structures was present in 23 of 26 CL lesions (88%), with a combination of two vascular structures in 13 cases (50%) and three or more in 10 cases (38%).

Conclusions: Characteristic dermoscopic structures have been identified in CL. Important vascular patterns seen in melanocytic and nonmelanocytic tumours are frequently observed in this infection.

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