Dermatopathology Terminology

Front 1

acantholysis
(give disease example)

Back 1

loss of cohesion between epidermal cells due to desmosome degeneration

seen in pemphigus foliaceus ("acantholytic cells")

Front 2

acanthosis

Back 2

increased thickness of the stratum spinosum due to hyperplasia and some hypertrophy

due to trauma

Front 3

Ballooning degeneration

Back 3

intracellular edema of keratinocytes

seen with viral infection (herpes and poxviruses)

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Bullae

Back 4

collections of fluid within or below the epidermis (>1 cm diameter)

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Cleft

Back 5

slit like space lacking fluid in the epidermis or dermal/epidermal junction

Front 6

Collagen degeneration

Back 6

appears as basophilic, granular, frayed looking collagen

seen in eosinophilic granuloma, mast cell tumors

Front 7

Comedo

Back 7

cystically dilated, keratin filled hair follicle (single: comedone)

seen in Schnauzer comedo syndrome, endocrine problems, actinic dermatitis

Front 8

Dyskeratosis

Back 8

premature or abnormal keratinization of individual keratinocytes in the epidermis

seen in lupus erythematosus and erythema multiforme, sometimes neoplasms

Front 9

Dystrophic mineralization

Back 9

deposition of calcium salts along collagen fibrils

seen in hyperglucocorticism

Front 10

exocytosis

Back 10

migration of inflammatory cells and RBCs through the epidermal interstitium

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Fibroplasia

Back 11

development of fibrous tissue due to increased fibroblast number

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flame figures

Back 12

refractile collagen surrounded by eosinophils and degradation products

seen in eosinophilic granuloma, insect bite reactions

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Granulation tissue

Back 13

repair process including fibroblasts, edema, inflammatory cells, and neocapillaries with specific orientation

Front 14

Grenz zone

Back 14

normal collagen separating the epidermis from a dermal problem

eg: plasma cell tumor

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Hamartoma

Back 15

abnormal collection of normal tissue elements in a tumor-like formation
*CONGENITAL

Front 16

Hypergranulosis

Back 16

increased thickness of the stratum granulosum

Front 17

Hyperkeratosis

Back 17

increased thickness of the stratum corneum

Front 18

Orthokeratosis

Back 18

hyperkeratosis without nuclei
may be basket weave (seborrhea, endocrinopathy), compact (chronic trauma) or laminated (ichthyosis)

Front 19

Parakeratosis

Back 19

hyperkeratosis with nuclei retained
chronic: ectoparasitism, zinc responsive dermatosis
multifocal: seborrhea

Front 20

Hyperpigmentation

Back 20

increased melanin in the epidermis
may be focal or diffuse

seen with endocrine disease, trauma, some developmental or neoplastic dz

Front 21

Intracellular edema

Back 21

water in vacuoles in the cell

seen in inflammatory processes

*if only in the basal cells, indicates lichenoid dermatitides, drug eruption, lupoid dermatosis, dermatomyositis

Front 22

Keratin pearls

Back 22

focal, circular concentric layers of squamous cells

seen in squamous cell carcinoma and keratoacanthoma

Front 23

Lichenoid

Back 23

band like infiltrate of inflammatory cells in the superficial dermis
seen in mucocutaneous pyoderma

Front 24

Lichenoid interface

Back 24

lichenoid reaction accompanied by epidermal basal cell vacuolation/necrosis

seen in discoid lupus erythematosus, systemic lupus erythematosus "interface diseases"

Front 25

Mucinosis

Back 25

increased amounts of mucin in dermal layer

seen in many diseases, "normal" in SharPei

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Nevus

Back 26

local excess of a normal skin component

can spread even though not neoplastic, should be removed

Front 27

Pigmentary incontinence

Back 27

free melanin granules in the dermis and in dermal macrophages due to damage of basal layer of epidermis

seen in DLE, SLE, erythema multiforme, dermatomyositis etc

Front 28

Satellitosis

Back 28

individual necrotic keratinocytes in the epidermis surrounded by lymphoid cells

seen in erythema multiforme

Front 29

Sclerosis

Back 29

scar

thick collagen fibers, destruction of hair follicles

Front 30

Spongiosis

Back 30

intercellular edema, has sponge-like appearance

Front 31

Transepidermal elimination

Back 31

removal of foreign material from the dermis by pushing them to the surface of the skin
can cause ulceration

Front 32

Vesicle

Back 32

fluid filled blister in or under the epidermis less than 1 cm in diameter