Skin pathology Flashcards
Excoriation
Lesion disrupting epidermis that causes a raw linear area
Often self-induced
Lichenification
Thickened, roughened skin with prominent markings
Usually the result of repeated rubbing
Lichenification
Hypergranulosis
Macule or patch
Circumscribed flat lesion distinguished form surrounding skin color
Onycholysis
Separation of nail from nail bed
Papule or nodule
Elevated, dome shaped or flat topped lesion
Plaque
Elevated, flat-topped lesion
Wheal
Itchy, transient, elevated lesion
Pustule
Discrete, pus-filled, raised lesion
Scale
Dry, horny, platelike excrescence
Usually the result of imperfect cornification
Scale
Acanthosis
Diffuse epidermal hyperplasia
Characteristic features of acanthosis
Epidermal thickening
Variable degree of hyperkeratosis
Acantholysis
Intracellular detachment
Dyskeratosis
Abnormal, premature keratinization with cells below stratum granulosum
Erosion
Discontinuity of skin, showing incomplete loss of epidermis
Exocytosis of skin
Infiltration of epidermis by inflammatory cells
Hydropic swelling/ballooning
IC edema of keratinocytes
Hypergranulosis
Thickening of stratum granulosum
Hyperkeratosis
Thickening of stratum corneum
Lentiginous
Linear pattern of melanocyte proliferation within the epidermal basal layer
Papillomatosis
Surface enlargement caused by hyperplasia and enlargement of contiguous dermal papillae
Parakeratosis
Keratinization with retained nucleus in the stratum corneum
Where parakeratosis is normal
Mucous membranes
Spongiosis
IC edema of the epidermis causes separation of epithelial cells, particularly in prickle cell layer
Ulcerations
Discontinuity of skin marked by complete loss of the epidermis, revealing dermis or subq
Vacuolization of skin
Formation of vacuoles within or adjacent to cells
General characteristics of acute inflammatory dermatoses
Inflammatory infiltrates
Edema
Variable degree of epidermal, vascular, or subq injury
Urticaria
Dilation of vascular structure in the superficial dermis
Cause of urticaria
Localized mast cell degranulation with dermal microvascular hyperpermeability
Pathogenesis of urticaria
Antigen-induced release of vasoactive mediators
Defect in hereditary angioneurotic edema
Inherited deficiency of C1 inhibitor results in excessive activation of early components of the complement system
Microscopic features of urticaria
Superficial dermal edema –> spaces between collagen bundles
Dilated lymphatics and vasculature
Normal epithelium
General characteristics of dermatitis
Erythematous, papulovesicular, weeping lesions
Pathogenesis of allergic contact dermatitis
T-cell mediated inflammatory reactions –> type IV hypersensitivity
Pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis
Skin barrier dysfunction due to mutation in filaggrin, an epidermal barrier protein
Inflammation from invading T cells
Lab findings in atopic dermatitis
Increased IgE
Eosinophilia
Pathophysiology of irritant contact dermatitis
Nonimmunologic response to chemicals or physical agents
Common symptoms for all types of dermatitis
Pruritus
Red, papulovesicular, oozing, crusted lesions
Self-limited type IV hypersensitivity
Erythema multiforme
Characteristic lesions in erythema multiforme
Targetoid
Pathogenesis of erythema multiforme
Keratinocyte injury mediated by CD8+ T cells
Variants of erythema multiforme
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Toxic epidermal necrolysis
Overlap
Important inciting agent of Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Medications, including sulfonamides
Lesions in Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Erosions and hemorrhagic crusts around the lips and oral mucosa and in the perineal area
Cover <10% of body surface area
Possible consequence of secondary infection in Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Sepsis
Most common cause of toxic epidermal necrolysis
Drug-induced
Possible consequences of toxic epidermal necrolysis
Sepsis or death
Lesions in toxic epidermal necrolysis
Widespread erythema and necrosis – >30% body surface
bullous detachment of the epidermis and mucous membrane with exfoliation
Koebner phenomenom
Lesions can be induced in susceptible individuals with local trauma
Microscopy in psoriasis
Acanthosis
Downward elongation of rete ridges
Parakerotic scale
Thin or absent stratum granulosum
Suprapapillary plates
Auspitz sign
Small aggregates of neutrophils
Two types of small neutrophil aggregates seen in psoriasis
Munro microabscesses
spongiform pustules
Munro microabscesses
Neutrophils that form small aggregates within the parakeratotic stratum corneum in psoriasis
Spongiform pustules
Neutrophils form small aggregates within the superficial epidermis
Six P’s of lichen planus
Pruritic
Purple
Polygonal
Planar
Papules
Plaques
Description of lesions in lichen planus
Itchy, violaceous, flat-topped, popules that coalesce focally and form plaques
Wickham striae
Pathogenesis of lichen planus
Expression of altered antigens in the basal epidermal cells or DE junction elicits CTL response
Skin lesion associated with HCV
Lichen planus
Histological features of lichen planus
Interface dermatitis
Saw-toothing
Civatte/colloid bodies
Hypergranulosis
Hyperkeratosis
Rare progression of lichen planus in oral mucosa
Squamous cell carcinoma
Caused by colonization of the skin by certain fungal species of genus Malassezia in response to increased sebum production
Seborrheic dermatitis
Gross appearance of seborrheic dermatitis
Moist/greasy macules and papules on erythematous, yellow, often greasy base associated with scaling and crusting
Herald patch in pityriasis rosea
Well-demarcated, thin, oval to round plaque that is usually pink and erythematous
Collarette scale in pityriasis rosea
Ring of tissue-like scale that remains attached within the border of the plaque
AN inflammatory reaction in the subq adipose tissue
Panniculitis
Two forms of panniculitis
Erythema nodusum
Erythema induratum
Clinical presentation in panniculitis
Poorly defined, exquisitely tender, symmetric, erythematous plaques and nodules
Pathogenesis of panniculitis
Type IV hypersensitivity to microbial or drug-related antigens
Microscopy in early septal panniculitis
Edema, fibrin, and neutrophils in CT septae
Microscopy in later septal panniculitis
Lymphocytes, macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells in CT septae
Skin disorders with IgG autoantibodies against Dsg1
Pemphigus foliaceus
Impetigo
Scalded skin syndrome
Skin disorder with IgG autoantibodies against Dsg1 and Dsg3
Pemphigus vulgaris
Skin disorder with autoantibodies against BPAG2
Bullous pemphigoid
Skin disorder with IgA autoantibodies to fibrils
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Hallmark of pemphigus
Acantholysis
Characteristics suprabasal acantholytic blister
Pemphigus vulgaris
Reticular pattern in immunofluorescence staining
Deposition of immunoglobulin along plasma membranes of keratinocytes in pemphigus
Subepidermal non-acantholytic blisters on microscopy
Bullous pemphigoid
On microscopy, fibrin and neutrophils accumulate selectively at tips of dermal papillae
Dermatitis herpetiformis