Dermoscopy of pigmented lesions of the vulva: a retrospective morphological study.

BACKGROUND

The dermoscopic patterns of pigmented skin tumors are influenced by the body site.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical and dermoscopic features associated with pigmented vulvar lesions.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinical and dermoscopic images of vulvar lesions. The χ² test was used to test the association between clinical data and histopathological diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 42 (32.8%) melanocytic and 86 (67.2%) nonmelanocytic vulvar lesions were analyzed. Nevi significantly prevailed in younger women compared with melanomas and melanosis and exhibited most commonly a globular/cobblestone (51.3%) and a mixed (21.6%) pattern. Dermoscopically all melanomas showed a multicomponent pattern. Melanotic macules showed clinical overlapping features with melanoma, but their dermoscopic patterns differed significantly from those observed in melanomas.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis and management of pigmented vulvar lesions should be based on a good clinicodermoscopic correlation. Dermoscopy may be helpful in the differentiation of solitary melanotic macules from early melanoma.