Telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans: diagnóstico dermatoscópico

IntroductionTelangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans (TMEP) is a rare cutaneous mastocytosis, characterised by erythematous and/or brown macula in which telangiectasia are identified. The diagnosis is based on the clinical state of the lesions and on histopathology; however dermoscopy is an important diagnostic tool, revealing a very characteristic reticular vascular pattern.MethodologyA clinical examination, dermatoscopy, photographic follow-up, and histological study were performed on 5 patients with erythematous brown spots on the neck and V of the neckline, and were seen in this Centre between 2008 and 2018. A polarised light dermatoscope was used on lesion and the skin around it. All patients had a 4 mm punch biopsy of the affected skin, and the slices were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Giemsa.ResultsThe dermatoscopy of the 5 patients showed a retiform vascular pattern with surrounding and crossing yellow spots corresponding to the follicular sebaceous glands, with few hairs. The skin around the lesion did not show any of these changes. In all patients, biopsy with haematoxylin-eosin corroborated the diagnosis of mastocytosis type TMEP. The location of the disease in the 5 patients was in the neck and V of the neckline.ConclusionsDermatoscopy helps in the diagnosis of TMEP by demonstrating that the retiform telangiectatic vascular pattern is a constant finding in all affected patients, and this is supported by the dermoscopic-histological findings. It also makes it possible to differentiate with other erythematous skin disease, and with other disorders that dermatoscopically exhibit retiform patterns.