Abstract:

Objective To investigate the dermoscopic features of palmoplantar melanocytic lesions. Methods The dermoscopic images of palmoplantar melanocytic lesions that underwent examination in the Department of Dermatology in Peking University First Hospital from September 2009 to October 2011, were retrospectively analyzed. Results Totally, 155 benign acral melanocytic lesions in 121 patients and 23 acral melanomas in 22 patients were analysed in this study. Among the benign acral melanocytic lesions, the parallel furrow pattern and its variations （34.2%） were the most common, followed by the fibrillar pattern （22.6%）. Two benign lesions（1.3%） showed a parallel ridge pattern. Of 23 melanoma lesions, 12 （52.2%） exhibited parallel ridge pattern, and 14（60.9%） showed irregular diffuse pigmentation that was present in all of the invasive melanoma lesions. The fibrillar pattern, as a common benign acral dermoscopic pattern, was also present in 39.1% of melanoma specimens. Conclusions Dermoscopy is valuable to some extent in the differential diagnosis of benign melanocytic nevi and malignant melanoma in palmoplantar region, and may facilitate the secreening for early melanoma.

Key words: Retrospective studies