title: Dermoscopic criteria and melanocytic lesions.
abstract: Dermoscopy is a noninvasive, in vivo method for the early diagnosis of malignant melanoma and the differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions of the skin. By allowing visualization of sub-macroscopic pigmented structures that correlate with specific underlying histopathologic structures, dermoscopy provides a more powerful tool than the naked-eye examination for clinicians to determine the need to excise a lesion. This article reviews the principles of dermoscopy, the most common dermoscopic patterns associated with nevi and melanoma, and the factors influencing the nevus pattern in a given individual.
authors.affiliation: Diagnosis Dermatologica, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roldán-Marín
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puig
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malvehy
mesh_terms: D046169:Dermoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012880:Skin Pigmentation