Blue nevus explained
| Blue nevus |
| Synonyms: | Blue neuronevus, dermal melanocytoma, nevus coeruleus, nevus bleu |
| Width: | 150 |
| Field: | Dermatology |
| Symptoms: | Single well-defined blue-black bump |
| Complications: | Rarely malignant transformation |
| Types: | Dendritic, cellular |
| Causes: | Unclear |
| Diagnosis: | Visualisation, dermoscopy |
| Differential: | Dermatofibroma, melanoma |
| Treatment: | Monitoring, excision |
| Prognosis: | Good |
| Frequency: | Female>male |
A blue nevus is a type of coloured mole, typically a single well-defined blue-black bump.[1] [2]
The blue colour is caused by the pigment being deep in the skin.[3]
Diagnosis is by visualisation and dermoscopy.[3] A biopsy is sometimes performed, or the whole lesion surgically removed.[4] The outcome is generally good but there is a small chance of cancerous transformation.[4] Differential diagnosis includes dermatofibroma and melanoma.[4]
Blue nevi are more common in females than males.[2] It was first studied in 1906 by Tièche, a student of Josef Jadassohn.[5]
Classification
Blue nevi may be divided into the following types:[6]
- A patch blue nevus (also known as an "acquired dermal melanocytosis", and "dermal melanocyte hamartoma") is a cutaneous condition characterized by a diffusely gray-blue area that may have superimposed darker macules.[1]
- A blue nevus of Jadassohn–Tièche (also known as a "common blue nevus", and "nevus ceruleus") is a cutaneous condition characterized by a steel-blue papule or nodule.[6]
- A cellular blue nevus is a cutaneous condition characterized by large, firm, blue or blue-black nodules.[6]
- An epithelioid blue nevus is a cutaneous condition most commonly seen in patients with the Carney complex.[6]
- A deep penetrating nevus is a type of benign melanocytic skin tumor characterized, as its name suggests, by penetration into the deep dermis and/or subcutis. Smudged chromatic is a typical finding. In some cases mitotic figures or atypical melanocytic cytology are seen, potentially mimicking a malignant melanoma. Evaluation by an expert skin pathologist is advisable in some cases to help differentiate from invasive melanoma.[6]
- An amelanotic blue nevus (also known as a "hypomelanotic blue nevus") is a cutaneous condition characterized by mild atypia and pleomorphism.[6]
- A malignant blue nevus is a cutaneous condition characterized by a sheet-like growth pattern, mitoses, necrosis, and cellular atypia.[6]
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Rapini, Ronald P. . Bolognia, Jean L. . Jorizzo, Joseph L. . Dermatology: 2-Volume Set . Mosby . St. Louis . 2007 . 1722 . 978-1-4160-2999-1 .
- Book: Johnstone, Ronald B.. Weedon's Skin Pathology Essentials . 2017. Elsevier . 978-0-7020-6830-0. 2nd. 545. 32. Lentigines and melanomas.
- Web site: Blue naevus . dermnetnz.org . 21 October 2021 . en.
- Austad . Steve S. . Athalye . Leela . Blue Nevus . StatPearls . 2021 . StatPearls Publishing. 31747181 .
- Sreeremya . S. . Blue Nevus . International Journal of Molecular Biotechnology . 17 April 2018 . 4 . 1 . 1–4 . 10.37628/ijmb.v4i1.255 . 31 January 2024 . en.
- Book: James, William D. . Berger, Timothy G. . Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology . Saunders Elsevier . 2006 . 0-7216-2921-0 . etal.
