Cutaneous neoplasms with prominent Verocay body-like structures: the so-called "rippled pattern"

A striking appearance resulting from alternating areas of epithelial cell cords and stroma seen in some cutaneous adnexal neoplasms has been referred to as the "rippled pattern." Histologically, this pattern may be indistinguishable from Verocay bodies described in schwannomas. A number of common and clinically diverse cutaneous neoplasms can be linked by the presence of this unusual growth pattern. The heterogeneous group of tumors that have been known to demonstrate this feature includes those with epithelial, adnexal, fibrohistiocytic, mesenchymal, and melanocytic lineage. The objective of this review is to alert the dermatopathologist to the range of neoplasms, which can potentially show this attribute, so that a misdiagnosis can be avoided.