| Abstract: |
Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) allows for examination of the superficial portion of adnexal structures and the examination of Meissner corpuscles over time. Adnexal structures are found across the entire surface area of the skin with type and density varying by site, while Meissner corpuscles are mostly found in glabrous (nonhairy) skin. Many of these structures may be misinterpreted as tumor nodules to the uninitiated RCM reader. As pathological states occurring in these skin structures are dynamic, serial evaluation is often more helpful than static evaluation by invasive skin biopsy, and understanding their normal appearance is requisite to interpreting their diseased state. Furthermore, background pathology of the adnexae or Meissner corpuscles can alter the appearance of a tumor, such as an inflamed follicle in a nevus, so having a basic knowledge of the normal and slightly altered appearance of these structures is important even for the evaluation of tumoral processes in the skin © 2017 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC. |
