Reflectance confocal microscopy - Consensus terminology glossary in Brazilian Portuguese for normal skin, melanocytic and non-melanocytic lesions

Abstract Background: Currently, there is no uniform and official terminology in Portuguese for reflectance confocal microscopy analysis, despite the increasing number of Brazilian dermatologists using this new tool. Objective: To present the terminology in Brazilian Portuguese for the description of reflectance confocal microscopy and establish the first Brazilian consensus on terms related to normal skin and cutaneous tumors. Methods: 10 Brazilian specialists from different institutions and states of Brazil were selected to evaluate the best corresponding terms in Portuguese for normal skin, melanocytic and non-melanocytic tumors. The terms used were translated from international consensuses in the English language. The modified Delphi method was used to create the consensus in 3 steps. Results: The terms considered the most appropriate in the Portuguese language to describe the findings of normal skin, melanocytic and non-melanocytic lesions in the reflectance confocal microscopy analysis were presented. Study limitations: The limitations of the present study include the number of participants and limited regional representation (only two of the five Brazilian regions were represented). Conclusion: This Brazilian consensus represents an opportunity for dermatologists and physicians specializing in cutaneous oncology to become familiar with reflectance confocal microscopy, propagating the technique in clinical and research environments to stimulate national and international publications on this subject.

Melanoacanthoma: a potential pitfall of reflectance confocal microscopy

Abstract Melanoacanthoma is a rare variant of seborrheic keratosis, which is notable for dark pigmentation and fast radial growth, making it difficult to distinguish from melanoma. Histologically, it is characterized by proliferation of keratinocytes and dendritic melanocytes. The authors report a scalp lesion, fast growing, suspected by dermoscopy and confocal microscopy examination, with dendritic cells distributed throughout the lesion. Based on these findings, it was not possible to classify this lesion as clearly benign, so it was excised. Histopathologic evaluation and immunostain were consistent with melanoacanthoma.

Determinação dos padrões da microscopia confocal in vivo no melanoma cutaneo e nevo melanocítico comum: comparacao com a dermatoscopia e histopatologia em cortes perpendiculares e transversais / Determination of confocal microscopy patterns in vivo in cutaneous melanoma and melanocytic nevi: comparison with dermoscopy and histopathology in perpendicular and transversal sections

O melanoma cutâneo é uma neoplasia que acomete indivíduos jovens e apresenta comportamento agressivo quando diagnosticado tardiamente. Sendo assim, novos métodos diagnósticos auxiliares ao exame clínico, como a dermatoscopia e a microscopia confocal in vivo (MC), têm sido desenvolvidos com o objetivo de melhorar a acurácia diagnóstica desse tumor. Semelhante à dermatoscopia, a MC revela detalhes morfológicos da arquitetura tecidual no plano paralelo à pele e, além disso, fornece imagens instantâneas com alta magnificação e resolução celular. A realização de cortes histológicos transversais (mesmo plano da dermatoscopia e MC) poderia contribuir para melhor caracterizar os achados observados tanto na dermatoscopia quanto na MC. Não existem relatos na literatura médica comparando as características dermatoscópicas, a MC e os achados histopatológicos em cortes transversais. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a técnica para realização dos cortes histológicos transversais e comparar as principais características dermatoscópicas do melanoma cutâneo à MC e à histopatologia em cortes perpendiculares e transversais, no intuito de oferecer uma interpretação mais precisa dos achados celulares e arquiteturais observados in vivo. Foram avaliadas 65 lesões com diagnóstico dermatoscópico de melanoma cutâneo de 63 pacientes recrutados no Núcleo de Câncer de Pele e Dermatologia do A.C. Camargo Cancer Center no período de junho de 2011 a abril de 2013. Uma forma fácil, segura e confiável para a realização dos cortes histológicos transversais foi apresentada. Os aspectos celulares e arquiteturais no exame de MC das principais características dermatoscópicas do melanoma cutâneo foram determinados e comparados aos achados histopatológicos nos cortes transversais e perpendiculares...

Cutaneous melanoma is a cancer that affects young individuals and shows aggressive behavior when diagnosed lately. Therefore, new diagnostic tools to unaided eye, such as dermoscopy and in vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), have been developed with the aim of improving the diagnostic accuracy of this tumor. Similarly to dermoscopy, RCM reveals morphological details of tissue architecture in parallel plane to the skin and, moreover, provides instant images with high magnification and cellular level resolution. The performance of transverse histopathological sections (same plane of dermoscopy and RCM) could help to better characterize the features observed in both dermoscopy and RCM. There are no reports in the medical literature comparing dermoscopic, RCM and histopathological features in transverse sections. The purpose of this study was to describe the technique for acquiring the transverse sections and compare the main dermoscopic features of cutaneous melanoma to the RCM and histopathology in perpendicular and transverse sections, in order to offer a more precise interpretation of the cellular and architectural features observed in vivo. This study included 65 lesions with dermoscopic diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma in 63 patients recruited at the Dermatology Center of the AC Camargo Cancer Center from June 2011 to April 2013. An easy, safe and reliable way for handle the transverse sections was presented. The RCM cellular and architectural aspects of the main melanoma dermoscopic features were determined and compared to histopathological findings in the transverse and perpendicular sections. We described a new structure called “papillae in mitochondria” which may represent an additional clue for the melanoma in situ diagnosis. The transverse sections allowed a more precise interpretation of the main RCM features in cutaneous melanoma...

Avaliação de hiperpigmentação em cicatrizes de melanomas e nevos melanocíticos através da microscopia confocal / Evaluation of hyperpigmentation in melanomas and melanocytic nevi scars through confocal microscopy

Introdução: A microscopia confocal in vivo é método diagnóstico não invasivo auxiliar no diagnóstico de lesões hiperpigmentadas em cicatrizes. Objetivos: Avaliar através do exame de microscopia confocal a hiperpigmentação em cicatrizes de lesões melanocíticas benignas e malignas. Métodos: Avaliamos imagens clínicas, dermatoscópicas e de microscopia confocal de 14 pacientes com hiperpigmentação em cicatrizes de melanomas adequadamente tratados e nevos melanocíticos excisados. Resultados: Dos oito pacientes com hiperpigmentação em cicatrizes de melanomas, quatro não apresentaram estruturas suspeitas ao exame de microscopia confocal, e quatro apresentaram estruturas suspeitas. Entre os seis pacientes com hiperpigmentação em área de cicatriz de nevo melanocítico excisado, três apresentavam estruturas atípicas, como células dendríticas e papilas não demarcadas. Os pacientes com estruturas suspeitas realizaram exame histológico, e em um caso de hiperpigmentação em cicatriz de lentigo maligno foi evidenciado recidiva. Conclusões: O exame permitiu evitar a biópsia para confirmação diagnóstica em seis dos 14 pacientes avaliados. O achado de células com padrão dendrítico ou pagetoide no exame de microscopia confocal é um desafio diagnóstico, pois pode representar melanócitos ou células de Langerhans na camada espinhosa. Portanto, lesões que apresentam tais estruturas devem ser removidas para exame histológico e diagnóstico diferencial.

Introduction: In vivo confocal microscopy is an auxiliary non-invasive diagnostic method used in the diagnosis of hyperpigmented lesions in scars. Objectives: To evaluate hyperpigmentation in the scars of benign and malignant melanocytic lesions through confocal microscopy examination. Methods: Clinical, dermoscopic, and confocal microscopy images of fourteen patients with hyperpigmentation in adequately treated melanoma scars and in excised melanocytic nevi, were evaluated. Results: Among the eight patients with hyperpigmentation in melanoma scars, four showed no suspicious structures after confocal microscopy examination and four showed suspicious structures. Among the six patients with hyperpigmentation in areas where melanocytic nevi had been excised, three had atypical structures, such as dendritic cells and non demarcated papillae. Patients with suspicious structures underwent histological examination, with one case of hyperpigmentation in a lentigo maligna scar evidencing recurrence. Conclusions: The examination method allowed for the avoiding of biopsy in confirming the diagnosis in six of the fourteen patients. The finding of cells with dendritic or pagetoid pattern in the confocal microscopy examination means a diagnostic challenge, for it can indicate melanocytes or Langerhans cells in the spinous layer. Therefore, lesions that have such structures must be removed for histology and differential diagnosis.

Buschke -Loewenstein tumor: identification of HPV type 6 and 11 / Condiloma acuminado gigante de Buschke-Lowenstein: identificação dos HPV 6 e 11

The authors report a case of exuberant giant condyloma acuminatum of Buschke-Loewenstein in a male patient, slow-growing, progressive and with locally destructive behavior in the inguinal, body of the penis, scrotum, perineal and perianal regions. After surgery he showed no signs of recurrence in 20 months of follow-up. The identification of HPV types 6 and 11 was performed using in situ hybridization.

Os autores relatam um caso exuberante de condiloma acuminado gigante de Buschke-Lowenstein, em paciente do sexo masculino, de crescimento lento e progressivo e de comportamento destrutivo das regiões inguinal, corpo do pênis, escroto, perineal e perianal. Após tratamento cirúrgico, não apresentou sinais de recidiva em 20 meses de seguimento. A identificação dos HPVs, tipos 6 e 11, foi realizada através da técnica de hibridização in situ.

Dermatite alérgica de contato a medicamentos de uso tópico: uma análise descritiva / Allergic contact dermatitis to topical drugs: a descriptive analysis

FUNDAMENTOS: A dermatite de contato é uma dermatose comum e suas múltiplas causas dificultam seutratamento. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a frequência da sensibilização aos medicamentos de uso tópico, em serviço universitário; estudar as características da população afetada e identificar os principais sensibilizantes relacionados aos medicamentos tópicos. MÉTODOS: Realizou-se um estudo retrospectivo dos pacientes com hipótese diagnóstica de dermatite alérgica de contato e que foram submetidos a testes epicutâneos. Avaliaram-se os que tiveram diagnóstico final de dermatite alérgica de contato a medicamentos tópicos. RESULTADOS: Em um grupo de 329 pacientes submetidos a testes de contato, 42 (13%) tiveram testes de contato positivos e relevantes para medicamentos tópicos, pelo princípio ativo e/ou por outros componentes. Entre os testes positivos, 36 (85,7%) corresponderam aos princípios ativos e 28 (66,7%), a outros componentes das fórmulas, com alguns pacientes apresentando mais de um teste positivo. Entre os princípios ativos, a neomicina foi o mais frequente. CONCLUSÕES: Entre os pacientes estudados, a sensibilização aos medicamentos tópicos ocorreu em 13% dos casos, com discreta preferência pelo sexo feminino e maior número de casos entre pacientes brancos. Houve elevada frequência de dermatite alérgica de contato pela neomicina, agente de uso comum como automedicação e também como prescrição médica.

BACKGROUND: Allergic Contact Dermatitis is a common type of dermatitis, but its multiple etiologies hinder its management. OBJECTIVE: the objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of sensitization to topical drugs in a university center, to study the main characteristics of the affected population, and to identify the allergens related with the dermatitis. METHODS: a retrospective and descriptive study with patients submitted to patch tests. The study was conducted with subjects whose patch test to topical drugs was positive. RESULTS: 329 patients were submitted to patch tests and 42 (13%) had positive and relevant patch tests to topical drugs. Among these patients, 36 (85.7%) had positive patch tests to the principal component and 28 (66.7%) to the other components. Some patients had more than one sensitization. Neomycin was the most importantallergen. CONCLUSIONS: Among the studied patients, sensitization to topical agents happened in 13% of the cases, with slight preference for females and Caucasians. There was elevated sensitization to neomycin, a popular agent among patients and medical doctors.