High magnification digital dermoscopy of basal cell carcinoma: a single-centre study on 400 cases

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of classic dermoscopic basal cell carcinoma (BCC) features and the sensitivity of new descriptors, such as light brown nests (homogeneous and structured) only visible employing a high magnification digital videomicroscope. A retrospective analysis of 2,024 highly magnified digital images referring to 400 BCCs was performed by 3 independent observers, who assessed 11 classic BCC descriptors and the new ones. Light brown nests were detected in 40.5% of BCCs. Homogeneous ones were observable in 17.8%, and structured nests in 32.8%. Light brown nests were visible in 14.3% of non-pigmented lesions, whereas in the pigmented groups these were observed in 42-54% of the cases. We suggest that brown nests described in this study may improve early recognition of superficial BCCs and of non-pigmented or slightly pigmented ones that may lack classic dermoscopic patterns.