title: Dermoscopy of cutaneous sarcoidosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical variability of cutaneous sarcoidosis (CS) often makes its correct diagnosis challenging. Although traditionally employed for the diagnosis of skin tumors, during the past years dermoscopy also gained increasing interest as an aid in the clinical diagnosis of inflammatory and infectious skin manifestations in general dermatology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to evaluate the usefulness of dermoscopy in the differential diagnosis of CS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective analysis of 7 clinical and dermoscopic images of CS that were collected at dermatology clinics in France and Italy between 2005 and 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retrospective dermoscopic evaluation revealed small grouped, translucent orange globular structures associated with linear vessels of variable diameter in all 7 cases. In 5 cases, additional central scar-like areas were seen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lesions showing dermoscopically translucent yellow to orange globular-like or structureless areas associated with linear vessels should raise the suspicion of a granulomatous skin disease, including CS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Hospital-IRCCS, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. r.pellicano@operapadrepio.it
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pellicano
authors.forename: Danica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tiodorovic-Zivkovic
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Gourhant
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catricalà
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caldarola
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Argenziano
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalaudek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*