Clinically and dermoscopically featureless melanoma: when prevention fails.
We report a case of amelanotic melanoma that was clinically and dermoscopically featureless; it was repeatedly missed during examination at a pigmented lesion clinic. Dermoscopy evidenced a peculiar vascular pattern, and only the adoption of a specific diagnostic algorithm including the atypical vascular pattern among the major diagnostic criteria would have helped the observer make the correct diagnosis. The risk of false-negative diagnosis by both clinical examination and dermoscopy during melanoma screening as well as the possible role of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of amelanotic melanoma are discussed.
Carli
Paolo
P
Department of Dermatology, University of Florence, Italy. CARLI@unifi.it
Massi
Daniela
D
de Giorgi
Vincenzo
V
Giannotti
Benvenuto
B
D003880:Dermatology / Q000295:instrumentation; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D018328:Melanoma, Amelanotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013848:Thigh