The impact of dermoscopic–pathological correlates in the diagnosis and management of pigmented skin tumors

Abstract

Dermoscopy is an optical, in vivo technique that has recently gained, at least in many European countries, popularity as an aid to the clinical diagnosis of pigmented, benign and malignant, melanocytic and nonmelanocytic skin lesions. The improvement in diagnostic accuracy of pigmented skin lesions compared with clinical examination is based on the uncovering of specific, submacroscopic, morphological key structures located in the epidermis down to the upper dermis that are usually not visible to the naked eye.