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Subpatterns of Dysplastic/Atypical Nevi

James M. Grichnik, MD, PhD

Arch Dermatol. 2003;139:1238.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

THE LESIONS shown are from the back of a 41-year-old white man (Figure 1), the back of a 32-year-old white woman (Figure 2), and the back of a 35-year-old white woman (Figure 3) (size bar, 5 mm). All 3 lesions reveal a relatively similar pattern. The lesions have very dark brown coloration and the network pattern is clearly defined and uniform at the edges. Central network structures are less clearly visualized and scattered hypopigmented foci are noted. This pattern is one pattern common in "dysplastic" (atypical) nevi. Theoretically, this pattern could be caused by a clone of melanocytic cells that aberrantly proliferate and differentiate in the epidermis and papillary dermis yielding prominent epidermal pigmentary patterns.

Figure appears in full text version. Figure 1.

Figure appears in full text version. Figure 2.

Figure appears in full text version. Figure 3.

Editor's Note This exercise is to group lesions with similar dermoscopic patterns—not pathologic criteria. The ultimate benign or . . . [Full Text of this Article]