Reflectance confocal microscopy and dermoscopy are both useful techniques for the diagnosis of facial lesions and in particular LM/LMM. RCM is particularly suitable for the identification of hypomelanotic and recurrent LM/LMM.
RCM is useful for identifying the histological substrate of dermoscopic features in pigmented lesions of the face. It can provide a better definition of the lesion areas, enabling an improved diagnostic approach.
The identification of HPCs in the epidermis is a new parameter that is frequently found in amelanotic melanoma. Possible confounders are represented by atypical keratinocytes that can be present in nonmelanocytic lesions. However, the whole architecture and the presence of additional diagnostic criteria should be considered in order to obtain a correct diagnosis.
The systematic use of RCM was dramatically affecting the number of benign lesions excised, and this can be translated in a significant cost-benefit advantage.
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