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.
Vitiligo other diagnostic studies
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Although not performed routinely, since the diagnosis of vitiligo is often reached by a thorough history assessment and physical examination, a biopsy of the lesion may show microscopical changes undergoing on the hypopigmented region.
Other Diagnosis Studies
Other Diagnosis Studies
Biopsy
Frequently not required, since the diagnosis is often suggested by the history and characteristics of the lesions. However, an electron microscopy study of the skin lesions will show the previously mentioned microscopical changes, thereby confirming:[1][2][3]
- Melanocyte loss.
- Melanocyte degeneration on the margins of the lesions.
- Keratinocyte abnormalities.
- Occasional dermal hypercellularity may be found.
- In inflammatory vitiligo, the study of the cells from the erythematous margins will show the lymphocitic infiltrates.
References
References
- ↑ Rook, Arthur (2004). Rook’s textbook of dermatology. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Science. ISBN 0-632-06429-3.
- ↑ Dawber RP (1970). “Clinical associations of vitiligo”. Postgrad Med J. 46 (535): 276–7. PMC 2467025. PMID 5448375.
- ↑ Birbeck, Michael S; Breathnach, Aodán S; Everall, John D (1961). “An Electron Microscope Study of Basal Melanocytes and High-Level Clear Cells (Langerhans Cells) in Vitiligo1”. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 37 (1): 51–64. doi:10.1038/jid.1961.80. ISSN 0022-202X.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]