Combined Nevi

 May be more common on head and neck

Microscopic

• Lesion overall orderly, symmetric, and well circumscribed
• Most commonly: Compound/intradermal melanocytic nevus plus blue nevus
• Others types of combined nevi include compound or intradermal nevus plus pigmented spindle or spitzoid cells

Top Differential Diagnoses

• Blue nevus (common and cellular types)
image Composed of dendritic to spindled melanocytes and melanophages
image Cellular often shows deep extension into dermis/subcutaneous
• Deep penetrating nevus
image Wedge-shaped architecture
image Often deep extension into dermis/subcutaneous
image Junctional nests may be present
image Dermal component composed of epithelioid/spindled melanocytes in nests bordered by melanophages
image Nests/fascicles of cells may be centered around adnexal/neurovascular structures in dermis
image Occasionally, bulbous/pushing margin is present
• Congenital melanocytic nevus: Present at birth
image May extend deep into dermis or subcutaneous tissue
image May infiltrate arrector pili, adnexal structures, nerves
image Maturation with depth
image
Combined Nevus With Conventional and Blue Nevus ComponentsThis is an example of a combined nevus of the most common type (i.e., composed of a conventional compound melanocytic nevus image and a blue nevus image). The lesion is symmetric and bland appearing.

image
Combined Nevus: Conventional and SpitzThis combined nevus has conventional nevomelanocytes image (small cells with oval to round nuclei, some in round nests) as well as larger cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm and larger nuclei (spitzoid cells image).
image
Differential Diagnosis: Spitz Nevus, Desmoplastic TypeThe differential diagnosis of a combined nevus may include other less common nevi, such as a desmoplastic Spitz nevus. The cells are large with eosinophilic cytoplasm image. There are interspersed melanophages and a sclerotic stroma image.
image
Differential Diagnosis: Deep Penetrating NevusThe differential diagnosis of a combined nevus can also include a deep penetrating nevus, shown here, with a nodular collection of finely pigmented spindled to epithelioid cells in fascicles with many interspersed melanophages image.

TERMINOLOGY

Synonyms

• Melanocytic nevus with phenotypic heterogeneity, clonal nevus, nevus with focal epithelioid component, combined Spitz nevus, inverted type A nevus

Definitions

• Presence of 2 or more distinct populations of melanocytes (i.e., type A melanocytic nevus cells and spindled or dendritic cells) or
• Presence of 2 or more types of melanocytic nevi (i.e., intradermal melanocytic and blue or Spitz)

CLINICAL ISSUES

Presentation

Apr 24, 2017 | Posted by in PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE | Comments Off on Combined Nevi

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