"Compound blue nevus": a reappraisal of "superficial blue nevus with prominent intraepidermal dendritic melanocytes" with emphasis on dermoscopic and histopathologic features.

Abstract

We describe 5 cases of "compound blue nevus" (CBN) ("superficial blue nevus with prominent intraepidermal dendritic melanocytes," "Kamino nevus"). Dermoscopically in 2 of 4 cases the bluish pigmentation characteristic of blue nevi was centrally replaced by a black lamella, with black dots and brown globules also observed in one case, thus revealing a structural asymmetry suggestive of melanoma. Histopathologically, pigmented parakeratosis was the underlying histopathologic finding of black lamella and dots/globules. Immunohistochemistry highlighted the unique histopathologic feature of CBN, namely, single dendritic melanocytes at the dermoepidermal junction with striking intraepidermal prolongations. Our findings confirm that CBN is a distinctive variant of blue nevus that may mimic cutaneous melanoma both clinically and dermoscopically.

• Authors: Gerardo Ferrara, Giuseppe Argenziano, Borut Zgavec, Igor Bartenjev, Stefania Staibano, Gaetano De Rosa, H Peter Soyer
• Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (J Am Acad Dermatol) Vol. 46 Issue 1 Pg. 85-9 (Jan 2002) ISSN: 0190-9622 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11756951 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Arm
• Child
• Dendritic Cells (pathology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Female
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Male
• Melanocytes (pathology)
• Melanoma (pathology)
• Microscopy
• Neck
• Nevus, Blue (pathology)
• Skin Neoplasms (pathology)
• Thorax