Digital dermoscopy analysis in the diagnosis of acral and nail melanocytic tumors / Digitalna dermoskopija u dijagnozi melanocitnih tumora noktiju i akralnih delova tela

Digital dermoscopy (epiluminiscence microscopy) is a technology for in vivo imaging of the skin used for the differentiation of pigmented skin lesions. Melanocytic tumors and pigmentations of the nails and acral skin regions represent differential diagnostic problems that can hardly be evaluated with the naked eye, especially at an early stage. Two patients with a total of three very suspicious lesions underwent dermoscopy. Clinical diagnoses were as follows: subungual hemorrhage, plantar wart (previously treated as a plantar wart several times) and acral melanoma. Dermoscopy increased the suspicion to: subungual melanoma, acral amelanotic melanoma and acral nevus, respectively. Histologic examination has verified the following diagnoses: subungual melanoma, acral lentiginous melanoma and acral junctional nevus. Dermoscopic examination of pigmented structures on the above-mentioned sites is a very useful adjunct in establishing accurate diagnosis that can help in differentiating benign from malignant lesions.