Derm Dotting: A New Technique That Improves Diagnostic Precision in the Evaluation of Skin Lesions. / Derm dotting: una técnica novedosa para mejorar la precisión diagnóstica de lesiones cutáneas.

Dermoscopy has improved diagnostic precision in the clinical evaluation of complex skin lesions by helping to pinpoint small clinically suspicious areas that are not visible to the naked eye but require histopathologic examination. Derm dotting is a new technique for selectively marking areas of interest to ensure they are examined under a microscope. Left unmarked, suspicious areas might not appear in routinely prepared cross sections or might be difficult to correlate with dermoscopic images. In vivo or ex vivo derm dotting involves the application of nail polish, which, unlike stains, leaves tissues unaltered. Dots can be placed by the dermatologist or laboratory staff during macroscopic preparation of the sample. Derm dotting is a simple, inexpensive technique that any dermatopathology laboratory can quickly adopt to improve diagnostic precision through better dermoscopic-histologic correlation.

Rapidly-growing squamous cell carcinoma shortly after treatment with ingenol mebutate for actinic keratoses: report of two cases.

Actinic keratoses (AKs) are defined as cutaneous areas of atypical squamous transformation that are regarded as an early step in the continuum of alterations leading from normal skin to invasive and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). AKs are classified as precancerous lesions by some authors and in situ SCC by others. The rate of evolution of a given AK to an invasive SCC has been estimated as 0·075-0·096% per lesion per year. These rates are similar to those estimated for gynaecological intraepithelial neoplasia. We describe two cases of SCC with rapid onset that developed after the application of ingenol mebutate gel for the treatment of AKs.

Hair loss in infancy.

Hair diseases represent a significant portion of cases seen by pediatric dermatologists although hair has always been a secondary aspect in pediatricians and dermatologists training, on the erroneous basis that there is not much information extractable from it. Dermatologists are in the enviable situation of being able to study many disorders with simple diagnostic techniques. The hair is easily accessible to examination but, paradoxically, this approach is often disregarded by non-dermatologist. This paper has been written on the purpose of trying to serve in the diagnostic process of daily practice, and trying to help, for example, to distinguish between certain acquired and some genetically determined hair diseases. We will focus on all the data that can be obtained from our patients' hair and try to help on using the messages given by hair for each patient. Quite often it is extremely hard to distinguish between abnormality and normality in neonatal hair aspects. We will specially focus in the most common physiological changes that may mislead to an incorrect diagnosis. Specific treatment for those hair diseases that do have one, and basic general approach to improve the cosmetic appearance of hair, will be also be discussed for those hair disturbances that do not have a specific treatment.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: a case series suggesting gadolinium as a possible aetiological factor.

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) or nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy is a rare fibrotic condition that presents in patients with a history of renal disease. The aetiology is unknown, but it has recently been proposed that gadolinium, a paramagnetic contrast agent, may be a trigger of this disease. We report three patients with NSF with a history of use of gadolinium in magnetic resonance angiography a few weeks before the onset of symptoms. In the future, gadolinium should probably be avoided as much as possible in renal insufficiency patients until its role in the development of NSF is clarified.