Reddish/bluish benign lesions evaluated by dermus SkinScanner

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Medical Imaging
• Pathology

Background:

• Angiomas and blue nevi are common benign skin lesions.
• These lesions can clinically resemble malignant conditions like melanoma.
• Accurate differentiation is crucial for appropriate patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of dermoscopy-assisted high-frequency ultrasound (DA-HFUS) in characterizing angiomas and blue nevi.
• To assess the complementary role of DA-HFUS alongside dermoscopy.
• To improve non-invasive diagnostic capabilities for benign pigmented skin lesions.

Main Methods:

• Case study involving five patients with diagnosed angiomas (2) and blue nevi (3).
• Utilized a handheld 33 MHz Dermus SkinScanner with integrated optical guidance for DA-HFUS.
• Correlated dermoscopic findings with high-frequency ultrasound imaging characteristics.

Main Results:

• Dermoscopy showed blue nevi as regular, slate blue/brown lesions and angiomas as blue-purple papules with lacunes.
• Ultrasound revealed blue nevi as hypoechoic lesions with potential hyperechoic fibrotic foci.
• Angiomas displayed heterogeneous echotexture reflecting vascular and fibrous components; fibrotic blue nevi showed deep dermal extensions.
• DA-HFUS identified structural details, such as hyperechogenic columns in fibrotic blue nevi, not visible on dermoscopy.

Conclusions:

• DA-HFUS provides valuable complementary information to dermoscopy for characterizing benign pigmented lesions.
• The combined approach enhances non-invasive diagnostic accuracy for differentiating angiomas and blue nevi.
• DA-HFUS aids in the structural assessment of these common skin lesions, potentially reducing misdiagnosis.