title: Dermoscopy of pigmented lesions on mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The dermoscopic features of pigmented lesions on the mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane are different from those on hairy skin. Differentiation between benign lesions and malignant melanomas of these sites is often difficult.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To define the dermoscopic patterns of lesions on the mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane, and assess the applicability of standard dermoscopic algorithms to these lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  An unselected consecutive series of 40 lesions on the mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane was studied. All the lesions were imaged using dermoscopy devices, analysed for dermoscopic patterns and scored with algorithms including the ABCD rule, Menzies method, 7-point checklist, 3-point checklist and the CASH algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Benign pigmented lesions of the mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane frequently presented a dotted-globular pattern (25%), a homogeneous pattern (25%), a fish scale-like pattern (18.8%) and a hyphal pattern (18.8%), while melanomas of these sites showed a multicomponent pattern (75%) and a homogeneous pattern (25%). The fish scale-like pattern and hyphal pattern were considered to be variants of the ring-like pattern. The sensitivities of the ABCD rule, Menzies method, 7-point checklist, 3-point checklist and CASH algorithm in diagnosing mucosal melanomas were 100%, 100%, 63%, 88% and 100%; and the specificities were 100%, 94%, 100%, 94% and 100%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ring-like pattern and its variants (fish scale-like pattern and hyphal pattern) are frequently observed as well as the dotted-globular pattern and homogeneous pattern in mucosal melanotic macules. The algorithms for pigmented lesions on hairy skin also apply to those on the mucocutaneous junction and mucous membrane with high sensitivity and specificity.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi, Matsumoto, Japan.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Lin
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Koga
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Takata
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Saida
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D002983:Clinical Competence; D046169:Dermoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015588:Observer Variation; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult