title: Dermoscopic patterns of fungal melanonychia: A comparative study with other causes of melanonychia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosing fungal melanonychia (FM) is often difficult because it mimics melanonychia caused by other factors. Dermoscopy is helpful in the setting of nail pigmentation. However, the diagnostic characteristics of FM on dermoscopy are not fully elucidated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the dermoscopic characteristics of FM.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the dermoscopic patterns of FM diagnosed at 2 university hospitals from January 2010 to February 2016. We included nail matrix melanocytic activation, nail matrix nevi, and nail unit malignant melanomas as control groups for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all, 18 FM, 24 melanocytic activation of the nail matrix, 27 nail matrix nevi, and 11 malignant melanoma cases were analyzed. Statistical analysis revealed that yellow color, multicolor pattern, nonlongitudinal homogenous pattern, reverse triangular pattern, subungual keratosis, white or yellow streaks, and scales on the nail were more frequent in FM. However, gray color, longitudinal pattern, and pseudo-Hutchinson sign were less frequent in FM than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This was a retrospective study from 2 university hospitals, with a small sample size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results revealed distinctive dermoscopic patterns for FM. Therefore, dermoscopy can be a useful ancillary tool for diagnosing FM.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jungyoon
authors: J
authors: Ohn
authors: Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors: Yun Seon
authors: YS
authors: Choe
authors: Department of Dermatology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Park
authors: Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Institute of Human-Environment Interface Biology, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jehomun@gmail.com.
authors: Je-Ho
authors: JH
authors: Mun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003116:Color; D046169:Dermoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017495:Hyperpigmentation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014009:Onychomycosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: dermoscopy; fungal melanonychia; malignant melanoma; melanonychia; nail matrix nevus; onychomycosis; onychoscopy