Pilomatricoma--a reprospective analysis of 18 cases

Pilomatricoma (calcifying epithelioma of Malherebe) is an uncommon skin tumour that occurs predominantly in young people. No studies are available from the Indian subcontinent on pilomatricoma. We analyzed records of 18 cases of pilomatricoma seen during 5 years period (1995-99). There were 16 females and 2 males and their age ranged from 5 to 60 years. All patients had solitary lesions in 10 out of 18 cases (55.5%), the tumour was located in head and neck region including 5 cases (27%) where it involved orbital margin and eye-brow. In only 2 out of 18 cases, a clinical diagnosis of pilomatricoma was suggested. In addition to the secondary changes described in previous studies, we observed additional changes like myxoid change, oedema fluid and necrosis with karyorrhectic debris in few of these tumours. Making a clinical diagnosis of pilomatricoma can be difficult. The final confirmation is by histopathological examination only.