Melanocytic nevus differential diagnosis

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Qurrat-ul-ain Abid, M.D.[2]

Overview

Melanocytic nevus must be differentiated from a dysplastic nevus, epidermal nevus, and melanoma.

Differential diagnosis

Melanocytic nevus must be differentiated from several conditions including:

Diseases Skin examination Diagnosis Additional findings
Type Color Texture Size Distribution Dermoscopic Findings Histopathology
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma[1] SCC in situ (Bowen's disease)
  • Scaly
  • Variable
  • Fair-skinned individuals: sun-exposed areas
Invasive squamous cell carcinoma
  • Skin colored
  • 0.5 to 1.5 cm
  • Fair-skinned individuals: sun-exposed areas
  • In black individuals: legs, anus, and areas of chronic inflammation
Keratoacanthoma[2]
  • 1 to 2.5 cm
Dermatofibroma[3][4]
  • Firm
  • 0.3- 1 cm
dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans[5][6]
  • Firm
  • 1-5 cm
Kaposi sarcoma[7][8]
  • Red/violaceous
  • Smooth
  • Rainbow pattern
  • scaly surface
  • Small brown globules
Merkel cell carcinoma[9]
  • Shiny
  • Flesh-colored or bluish-red
  • Firm
  • < 1 cm
  • Sun-exposed areas
  • Older individuals with light skin tones
  • Rapidly growing
Basal cell carcinoma[10] Nodular basal cell carcinoma
  • Flesh-colored
  • Variable
  • Focused, bright red, and branching arborizing vessels
  • Loosely arranged blue-gray dots
Superficial basal cell carcinoma
  • Scaly
  • 1 to > 10 cm
  • Sun-exposed areas
  • Head (cheek and nose)
  • Trunk
  • Large, hyperchromatic, oval nuclei
  • Minimal cytoplasm
  • Small basaloid nodules
Sclerosing basal cell carcinoma (morpheaform)[11]
  • Variable
  • Sun-exposed areas
Prurigo nodules[12][13]
  • Firm
  • Variable
Melanoma[14] Melanoma in situ (Lentigo Maligna)[15]
  • Variable (from light to dark brown, black, pink, red, or white)
  • Smooth
  • Around 1 cm
  • Asymmetric, pigmented follicular openings
  • Gray angulated lines
  • Gray areas, dots, and globules
  • Circle within a circle
Lentigo maligna melanoma[16]
  • Brown/tan
  • Variable
  • Asymmetric, pigmented follicular openings
  • Gray angulated lines
  • Gray areas, dots, and globules
  • Circle within a circle
  • Usually in older individuals
Superficial spreading melanoma[17]
  • Variably pigmented (red, blue, black, gray, and white)
  • Thin
  • 1 mm to > 1 cm
  • Asymmetry of shape
  • > 2 colors
  • Asymmetry of structures
Nodular melanoma[18][19]
  • Dark color
  • 6mm to > 1 cm
  • Two-thirds arise in normal skin, the rest in existing moles
  • Rapidly enlarging
Acral lentiginous melanoma[20]
  • Dark brown to black
  • Variable
  • Most common among dark skinned individuals
Amelanotic melanoma[21]
  • Around 6 mm
Common nevus[22][23]
  • 1 cm to > 20 cm
  • Also called Miescher nevus
Blue nevus[24]
  • Blue
  • Smooth
  • Variable
  • Structureless blue pigmentation
  • Structureless blue and white or blue and brown on some occasions
Spitz nevus[25][26] Nonpigmented Spitz nevus
  • Pink
  • Smooth
  • < 1 cm
Reed-like Spitz[27]
  • Smooth
  • < 1 cm
Solar lentigo[28]
  • Multiple spots
  • Brown
  • Smooth
  • Around 5mm
  • Associated with UV exposure and skin aging
Sebaceous hyperplasia[29]
  • Skin-colored to brownish
  • 2 - 6 mm
  • Structureless yellow to whitish center surrounded by short linear "crown vessels"
  • Usually in middle-aged or older patients
Lichen planus-like keratosis[30]
  • Gray to brown
  • Prominent
  • Variable
  • Appearance depends on stage of evolution

References

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