Nail pathology.
When dealing with nails, pathologic examination is often indispensable to reach an accurate diagnosis. This requires a biopsy correctly performed by the dermatologist, a specimen correctly handled in the pathology lab, and a pathologist with good knowledge of the various nail conditions. The normal nail histology is first described in this paper. The pathologic aspects of melanocytic lesions, nonmelanocytic tumors of the nail apparatus, inflammatory nail conditions, and onychomycosis are then considered, together with their main differential diagnoses.
Head of the Dermatology and Dermatopathology Department, University Hospitals Saint-Pierre, 322 Rue Haute - 1000 Brussels, Belgium and University Hospital Brugmann, 4 Place Van Gehuchten - 1020 Brussels, Belgium, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, 15 Avenue Crocq - 1020 Brussels, Belgium, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. Electronic address: josette_andre@stpierre-bru.be.
Josette
J
André
Ursula
U
Sass
Bertrand
B
Richert
Anne
A
Theunis
D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005350:Fibroma / Q000473:pathology; D005918:Glomus Tumor / Q000473:pathology; D017789:Granuloma, Pyogenic / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D009260:Nail Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D009262:Nails / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology*; D018225:Neoplasms, Fibroepithelial / Q000473:pathology; D009506:Nevus / Q000473:pathology*; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000473:pathology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*