Skip to main content

The Many Faces of Nevi: Blue, “Black” and Recurrent Nevi

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Reflectance Confocal Microscopy for Skin Diseases

Abstract

The RCM criteria of most types of melanocytic nevi have been extensively described in the literature within the past years [1–4]. This chapter complements this body of knowledge by describing the RCM features of less frequent types of nevi, namely blue, “black” and recurrent nevi. Common to these nevus variants is that they are often the clinical outlier or “ugly duckling” among the patient’s moles, and as such, these nevi tend to raise some clinical concern; moreover, their dermoscopic features are often equivocal. To this end, RCM can reveal additional architectural and cellular details about these nevi, and thus can serve as a helpful adjunct for diagnosis and management decision. In the following sections, we describe the RCM features of these nevi in the context of the current technical limitations of RCM, such as the restricted depth of penetration of light and the limited cellular details.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Ahlgrimm-Siess V, Massone C, Koller S, Fink-Puches R, Richtig E, Wolf I et al (2008) In vivo confocal scanning laser microscopy of common naevi with globular, homogeneous and reticular pattern in dermoscopy. Br J Dermatol 158(5):1000–1007

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Scope A, Benvenuto-Andrade C, Agero AL, Malvehy J, Puig S, Rajadhyaksha M et al (2007) In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy imaging of melanocytic skin lesions: consensus terminology glossary and illustrative images. J Am Acad Dermatol 57(4):644–658

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Pellacani G, Longo C, Malvehy J, Puig S, Carrera C, Segura S et al (2008) In vivo confocal microscopic and histopathologic correlations of dermoscopic features in 202 melanocytic lesions. Arch Dermatol 144(12):1597–1608

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Pellacani G, Scope A, Ferrari B, Pupelli G, Bassoli S, Longo C et al (2009) New insights into nevogenesis: in vivo characterization and follow-up of melanocytic nevi by reflectance confocal microscopy. J Am Acad Dermatol 61(6):1001–1013

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ferrara G, Soyer HP, Malvehy J, Piccolo D, Puig S, Sopena J et al (2007) The many faces of blue nevus: a clinicopathologic study. J Cutan Pathol 34(7):543–551

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Piccolo D, Altamura D, Lozzi GP, Peris K (2006) Blue-whitish veil-like structure as the primary dermoscopic feature of combined nevus. Dermatol Surg 32(9):1176–1178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zalaudek I, Docimo G, Argenziano G (2009) Using dermoscopic criteria and patient-related factors for the management of pigmented melanocytic nevi. Arch Dermatol 145(7):816–826

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Benvenuto-Andrade C, Dusza SW, Agero AL, Scope A, Rajadhyaksha M, Halpern AC, Marghoob AA (2007) Differences between polarized light dermoscopy and immersion contact dermoscopy for the evaluation of skin lesions. Arch Dermatol 143(3):329–338

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Segura S, Pellacani G, Puig S, Longo C, Bassoli S, Guitera P et al (2008) In vivo microscopic features of nodular melanomas: ­dermoscopy, confocal microscopy, and histopathologic correlates. Arch Dermatol 144(10):1311–1320

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Pellacani G, Bassoli S, Longo C, Cesinaro AM, Seidenari S (2007) Diving into the blue: in vivo microscopic characterization of the dermoscopic blue hue. J Am Acad Dermatol 57(1):96–104

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Agero AL, Busam KJ, Benvenuto-Andrade C, Scope A, Gill M, Marghoob AA et al (2006) Reflectance confocal microscopy of pigmented basal cell carcinoma. J Am Acad Dermatol 54(4):638–643

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Zalaudek I, Argenziano G, Mordente I, Moscarella E, Corona R, Sera F et al (2007) Nevus type in dermoscopy is related to skin type in white persons. Arch Dermatol 143(3):351–356

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Cohen LM, Bennion SD, Johnson TW, Golitz LE (1997) Hypermelanotic nevus: clinical, histopathologic, and ultrastructural features in 316 cases. Am J Dermatopathol 19(1):23–30

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Yadav S, Vossaert KA, Kopf AW, Silverman M, Grin-Jorgensen C (1993) Histopathologic correlates of structures seen on dermoscopy (epiluminescence microscopy). Am J Dermatopathol 15(4):297–305

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Scope A, Dusza SW, Halpern AC, Rabinovitz H, Braun RP, Zalaudek I, Argenziano G, Marghoob AA (2008) The “ugly duckling” sign: agreement between observers. Arch Dermatol 144(1):58–64

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Seidenari S, Pellacani G, Martella A (2005) Acquired melanocytic lesions and the decision to excise: role of color variegation and ­distribution as assessed by dermoscopy. Dermatol Surg 31(2):184–189

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sexton M, Sexton CW (1991) Recurrent pigmented melanocytic nevus. A benign lesion, not to be mistaken for malignant melanoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med 115(2):122–126

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. King R, Hayzen BA, Page RN, Googe PB, Zeagler D, Mihm MC Jr (2009) Recurrent nevus phenomenon: a clinicopathologic study of 357 cases and histologic comparison with melanoma with regression. Mod Pathol 22(5):611–617

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Marghoob AA, Kopf AW (1997) Persistent nevus: an exception to the ABCD rule of dermoscopy. J Am Acad Dermatol 36(3 Pt 1):474–475

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Verena Ahlgrimm-Siess .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ahlgrimm-Siess, V., Arzberger, E., Hofmann-Wellenhof, R., Scope, A. (2012). The Many Faces of Nevi: Blue, “Black” and Recurrent Nevi. In: Hofmann-Wellenhof, R., Pellacani, G., Malvehy, J., Soyer, H. (eds) Reflectance Confocal Microscopy for Skin Diseases. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21997-9_12

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21997-9_12

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-21996-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-21997-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics