eMedicine Specialties > Dermatology > Benign Neoplasms
Nevi, Melanocytic: Multimedia
Updated: Nov 20, 2009
Multimedia
 | Media file 1: A Clark (dysplastic) nevus with modest variation in pigmentation and irregular borders. Biopsy of the lesion proved no evidence of melanoma. |
 | Media file 2: A compound Clark (dysplastic) nevus with fried egg–like clinical morphology, with a central dark papule flanked by an eccentric more lightly pigmented macular zone. |
 | Media file 3: A conventional (papular) melanocytic nevus occurring within acral skin. Note slight border irregularity, a feature common in association with acral nevi. |
 | Media file 4: A heavily pigmented junctional Spitz nevus, also known as pigmented spindle cell nevus. Note that many Spitz nevi are nonpigmented and may have an angiomalike clinical appearance. |
 | Media file 5: A melanocytic nevus occurring within conjunctival epithelium. |
 | Media file 6: A conventional compound melanocytic nevus. Note the presence of melanocytes with small nuclei in nests along the dermoepidermal junction and the presence of similar melanocytes in nests and syncytia in the subjacent dermis. |
 | Media file 7: This Spitz nevus shows large melanocytes with spindled and epithelioid cytomorphology arrayed along the junctional zone of an acanthotic and hyperkeratotic epithelium. |
 | Media file 8: At higher magnification, this Spitz nevus also demonstrates large, dull-pink globules along the junctional zone. These structures are known as Kamino bodies. Kamino bodies are most commonly observed in association with Spitz nevi but are occasionally observed in melanocytic nevi of other types. Well-formed Kamino bodies are almost never (if ever) found in association with melanoma. |
 | Media file 9: This blue nevus is composed of small dendritic melanocytes. This type of cytomorphology can be seen in so-called common blue nevi and in topographically restricted lesions such as nevus of Ito or nevus of Ota. |
 | Media file 10: This large congenital nevus developed papular areas of pigmentation within it. Microscopic examination proved that the "new" areas represented small nodular collections of benign melanocytes, with no evidence of evolving melanoma. |
 | Media file 11: Histopathologically, a congenital nevus differs from an acquired melanocytic nevus in that melanocytes are often distributed deeply within the reticular dermis, within the adventitial dermis around adnexal elements, and sometimes within the subcutis. This congenital nevus shows a folliculocentric array of melanocytes. |
More on Nevi, Melanocytic |
| Overview: Nevi, Melanocytic |
| Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Nevi, Melanocytic |
| Treatment & Medication: Nevi, Melanocytic |
| Follow-up: Nevi, Melanocytic |
 Multimedia: Nevi, Melanocytic |
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References
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Further Reading
Keywords
nevi, nevus, melanocytic nevi, nevocellular nevus, melanocytic nevus, Spitz nevus, atypical nevus, mole, dysplastic nevus, nevus spilus, congenital nevus, blue nevus, Spitz nevus, Spitz's nevi, Spitz's nevus, Clark nevus, Unna nevus, Miescher nevus, Clark nevi, Unna nevi, Miescher nevi, Clark's nevus, Unna's nevus, Miescher's nevus, Clark's nevi, Unna's nevi, Miescher's nevi, atypical mole, dysplastic nevi, dysplastic nevus
