Dermoscopic features of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Dermoscopy enhances diagnostic accuracy for various skin tumors.
• Emerging evidence suggests dermoscopy's utility in diagnosing certain skin infections.
• Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) diagnosis can benefit from advanced imaging techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the specific dermoscopic features observed in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• To establish a visual reference for dermoscopic findings in CL.
• To explore dermoscopy's potential role in managing CL.

Main Methods:

• Dermoscopic examinations were conducted on 144 CL lesions across 82 patients.
• The study utilized the Derm Lite FOTO (3Gen) for examinations.
• Data was collected from patients at Imam Reza and Ghaem hospitals in Mashhad, Iran.

Main Results:

• Common dermoscopic findings included generalized erythema (81.9%), white starbursts (60.4%), and yellow hue (43.8%).
• Vascular structures such as dotted (61.1%) and hairpin (37.5%) vessels were frequently observed.
• Other noted features were central ulcers (59%) and milia-like cysts (4.9%).

Conclusions:

• Dermoscopy identified vascular patterns similar to those seen in skin tumors.
• These findings suggest dermoscopy is a valuable, non-invasive tool for diagnosing cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• Dermoscopy may aid in predicting the clinical progression of CL.