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William V. Stoecker, MS, MD; Wilhelm Stolz, MD

Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(9):1207-1210.

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

In this issue of the Archives, Menzies et al¹ analyze a large number of hypopigmented lesions to determine the most useful dermoscopic features for detection of amelanotic and hypomelanotic melanoma (AHM). Dermoscopy, which uses magnification with a glass plate and fluid or with cross-polarized lighting, improves diagnostic accuracy for pigmented lesions.² For clinical observation without dermoscopy, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of AHM have been reported as 65% and 88%, respectively³; however, dermoscopy improves sensitivity and specificity to 89% and 96%, respectively.³ For truly amelanotic melanomas, diagnosis depends critically on vascular patterns, which are visible only by dermoscopy.

The similarity of amelanotic melanoma to benign conditions, such as diabetic foot ulcers,⁴ warts,⁵ rhinophima,⁶ and eczema,⁷ often results in delay of the diagnosis.^4-5 Dermoscopy may help prevent the failure to diagnose melanoma because without dermoscopy, a biopsy would not be performed on seemingly . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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Dermoscopic Evaluation of Amelanotic and Hypomelanotic Melanoma
Scott W. Menzies, Juergen Kreusch, Karen Byth, Maria A. Pizzichetta, Ashfaq Marghoob, Ralph Braun, Josep Malvehy, Susana Puig, Giuseppe Argenziano, Iris Zalaudek, Harold S. Rabinovitz, Margaret Oliviero, Horacio Cabo, Verena Ahlgrimm-Siess, Michelle Avramidis, Pascale Guitera, H. Peter Soyer, Giovanni Ghigliotti, Masaru Tanaka, Ana M. Perusquia, Gianluca Pagnanelli, Riccardo Bono, Luc Thomas, Giovanni Pellacani, David Langford, Domenico Piccolo, Karin Terstappen, Ignazio Stanganelli, Alex Llambrich, and Robert Johr
Arch Dermatol. 2008;144(9):1120-1127.
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