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. 2015;88(1):38-43.
doi: 10.15386/cjmed-394. Epub 2015 Jan 28.

Patterns of Change During the Dermoscopic Follow-Up of Melanocytic Lesions in High Risk Patients

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Patterns of Change During the Dermoscopic Follow-Up of Melanocytic Lesions in High Risk Patients

Loredana Ungureanu et al. Clujul Med. 2015.

Abstract

Background: Melanomas and melanocytic nevi that change over time display different change patterns, correlated with histopathological features.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the dermoscopic images corresponding to 86 lesions excised due to the changes occurred during the follow-up period in patients at high risk for melanoma, and we drew a comparison between the changes occurring in melanomas and those occurring in melanocytic nevi.

Results: There were significant differences between the models of dermoscopic change characteristic to melanoma and those characteristic to melanocytic nevi. We observed changes with high specificity for the diagnosis of melanoma - asymmetric growth (Sp=90%), new structureless grey-blue areas (Sp=97.5%) or new grey-blue network (Sp=96.25%), new pseudopods or radial streaks (Sp=95%).

Conclusion: Our study highlights highly specific changes whose presence should raise the suspicion of melanoma and lead to the excision of the lesion.

Keywords: dermoscopy; melanocytic nevi; melanoma.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Patterns of change in melanoma, dysplastic melanocytic nevi and common melanocytic nevi during follow-up.

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