Vulvar Melanocytic Nevi: A Dermoscopic Investigation

Abstract

Background: Very few dermoscopic investigations into pigmented genital lesions have been performed to date. To the best of our knowledge, no dermoscopical description of vulvar melanocytic nevi (MN) has yet been proposed. Objective: Our aims were to analyze the dermoscopic features of vulvar MN and to review the literature of dermoscopy of the vulvar area. Methods: Among 74 women presenting 84 vulvar pigmented lesions, 10 who received a visual diagnosis of MN were submitted to dermoscopic and histopathological analysis. Results: Histology confirmed the clinical diagnosis of MN in 8 out of 10 cases, while the remaining 2 pigmented lesions were diagnosed as seborrheic keratosis. Vulvar MN were generally found to share similar dermoscopic patterns with their cutaneous equivalent. Conclusions: Although further observation will be necessary to provide additional data and establish key morphological criteria and/or algorithms useful for differentiating between melanocytic and nonmelanocytic vulvar lesions, dermoscopy should be considered an investigative tool, as clinical observation alone may not be sufficient for accurate diagnosis.

Dermoscopy of Pigmented Lesions of the Vulva: A Retrospective Morphological Study

“…To date, only few reports focussed on the dermoscopic patterns of vulvar nevi [17,19,20]. In a recent study investigating 8 cases of vulvar nevi, the most common patterns were homogeneous brown-gray pigmentation, cobblestone, parallel and nonspecific.…”

“…Up-to-date dermoscopic criteria have been formulated to improve the diagnostic accuracy for melanotic macules/melanosis of the vulva [13,14], but little is currently known about the dermoscopic features of melanocytic and other nonmelanocytic tumors of the vulva [15,16,17,18,19,20]. …”

Vulvar nevi, melanosis, and melanoma: An epidemiologic, clinical, and histopathologic review

“…Globular and homogeneous patterns predominate among common vulvar nevi. 8,9,14,15 In AMNGT, a mixed pattern, defined as the combination of 2 or more dermoscopic patterns, has been observed most frequently. 9 The globular and homogenous patterns constituted the other most detected morphologies.…”

“…Major findings of vulvar melanosis are increased melanin in the basal layer and a normal or slightly increased number of melanocytes arranged as single units at the dermoepidermal junction 14,29 (Fig 4 and Table I). Other possible features include elongation of the rete ridges, dendritic melanocytes at the dermoepidermal junction, and melanophages in the papillary dermis.…”

Pigmente Vulvar Lezyonların Dermoskopi Özelliklerinin İncelenmesi

“…Jinekolojik muayeneleri sırasında kadınların %12-%19'unun pigmente vulvar lezyonu olduğu görülmektedir. Vulvar bölgede ortaya çıkan hastalıkların yaklaşık %20'sinin pigmente lezyonlar olduğu tahmin edilmektedir (2,3). Kadınlar vulvar bölgelerini nadiren muayene etmektedir.…”