Gold in the dermis following chrysotherapy: histopathology and microanalysis

Paraffin-embedded sections of skin from patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with gold who had developed skin rashes were examined by light microscopy and scanning electronmicroscopy with microanalysis. Sparse, small, brown or black granules in plump, often elongated cells in the dermis were shown to contain gold by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. These cells expressed some macrophage markers. The amount of gold present showed some correlation with the total gold dose. Gold was not confined to lesional skin. In one case where uninvolved skin was examined, more gold was found there than in lesional skin.