Pigmented spindle cell nevus

A Variant of Junctional Naevus of Epithelioid and Spindle Cell Type Rich in Melanophages

“…We can interpret the large deposit of pigment in the dermis as the consequence of an exceedingly abundant production of pigment that is disproportionat e to the number of melanocytes, but not representing the result of a regressed melanocytic neoplasm. The histological details of our lesions are in part similar to those attributed in the literature (8,9) to the so-called Reed naevus (pigmented spindle cell naevus) reputed to be a variant of epithelioid and spindle cell naevus (Spitz Naevus).…”

“…Our interpretation is that the lesion we present here can be related to a variant of Reed naevus (8,9) in which an unusual and overwhelming production of melanin occurs. The diagnosis of``melanophages rich junctional naevus'' should be used with a warning regarding the possibility of a regressive melanoma.…”

“…Also in the so-called Sutton naevus (halo naevus, naevus with regression) the melanin deposit in the dermis after the complete annulment of the naevus cells is never abundant enough to be called tumoral melanosis. Three peculiar naevi can indeed simulate tumoral melanosis; these are the hyperpigmented variant of Spitz naevus described by Choi et al (6), the so-called compound blue naevus described by Kamino & Tam (7), and a few very rare forms of Reed naevus (8,9). However, none of these lesions can be correctly labelled as tumoral melanosis, because in the dermal component of the naevus the presence of numerous melanocytes full of actively synthesized pigment is immediately evident.…”

Pediatric Atypical Spitzoid Neoplasms: A Review with Emphasis on ‘Red’ (‘Spitz’) Tumors and ‘Blue’ (‘Blitz’) Tumors

“…Before dermoscopy, Spitz nevus (SN) could be mainly identified by clinicians as a pink to red papulonodular lesion of the face and the extremities of children. With the advent of dermoscopy, it has become evident that, by lumping together pigmented spindle cell SN and Reed nevus [3,4,5,6], most histopathologically benign spitzoid neoplasms can be clinically recognized as tan to black plaques with 3 main dermoscopic patterns, namely starburst, globular and multicomponent (atypical, melanoma-like) [1,2]. Such a high frequency of pigmented variants among excised lesions could be the result of their better clinical recognition due to dermoscopy, coupled with a low excision rate of classical ‘pink-red’ SN in children.…”

Borderline melanocytic tumors

“…Pigmented spindle cell tttmor (5) Many would regard this as a distinct entity. It is often a heavily pigmented lesion oeeurring particularly on the thighs of females.…”