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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Melanocytic nevus classification

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Melanocytic nevus is a type of melanocytic lesion. Depending on the degree of cytologic atypia it can be classified into mild, moderate or severe.

Classification

Classification

Most dermatologists and dermatopathologists use a system devised by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for classifying melanocytic lesions. In this classification, a nevus can be defined as benign, having atypia, or being a melanoma.

  • A benign nevus is read as (or understood as) having no cytologic or architectural atypia.
  • An atypical mole is read as having architectural atypia, and having (mild, moderate, or severe) cytologic (melanocytic) atypia.[1][2]
References

References

  1. ↑ Schanderdorf D, Kochs C, Livingstone E (2013). Handbook of Cutaneous Melanoma: A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment. Springer.
  2. ↑ Mooi W, Krausz T (2007). Pathology of Melanocytic Disorders 2nd Ed. CRC Press.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: ; Roukoz A. Karam, M.D.[2]