Actinic granuloma: a connective tissue disorder affecting sun and heat-damaged (ELASTOTIC) skin

Abstract

Ring-shaped inflammatory lesions sometimes develop in the abnormal, ‘elastotic’ connective tissues of sun and heat-damaged skin. The lesions, which commence as papules and nodules, enlarge very slowly and may persist for years. On microscopic section they show an infiltrate composed mainly of foreign-body giant cells engaged in digesting and absorbing the abnormal elastotic fibres. The disorder, which occurs on several continents, should probably be regarded as a phenomenon of repair within damaged connective tissue. The name Actinic granuloma indicates its external or environmental origin and distinguishes it from other granulomas with which it is constantly being confused. Actinic granuloma tends to be misdiagnosed as granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica and sarcoidosis. Ring-shaped inflammatory lesions sometimes develop in the abnormal, ‘elastotic’ connective tissues of sun and heat-damaged skin. The lesions, which commence as papules and nodules, enlarge very slowly and may persist for years. On microscopic section they show an infiltrate composed mainly of foreign-body giant cells engaged in digesting and absorbing the abnormal elastotic fibres. The disorder, which occurs on several continents, should probably be regarded as a phenomenon of repair within damaged connective tissue. The name Actinic granuloma indicates its external or environmental origin and distinguishes it from other granulomas with which it is constantly being confused. Actinic granuloma tends to be misdiagnosed as granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica and sarcoidosis.