Dysplastic nevus: why this term should be abandoned in dermatoscopy.
The term "dysplastic nevus" is a misnomer and should be abandoned. Dysplastic nevus is not just a name, it is the root of the concept that histomorphology (or any morphologic examination including dermatoscopy) is able to predict the fate of a benign melanocytic proliferation. There is no evidence that this hypothesis is true but there are observations that falsify it. Preferably a specific diagnosis should be made based on dermatoscopic pattern and, if this is not possible, on clinical or dermatoscopic grounds alone the term "nevus, not otherwise specified" should be used.
Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, Vienna 1090, Austria. Electronic address: harald.kittler@meduniwien.ac.at.
Harald
H
Kittler
Philipp
P
Tschandl
D046169:Dermoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004416:Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic
Congenital; Dermatopathology; Dermatoscopy; Dysplastic; Follow-up; Melanoma; Nevi