DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service. Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages

Translate

Inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus pathology

Author: Assoc Prof Patrick Emanuel, Dermatopathologist, Auckland, New Zealand, 2014.


toc-icon
Table of contents
arrow-right-small

Introduction

Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Naevus (ILVEN) is a distinct form of inflammatory epidermal naevus with a characteristic histopathology. Rarely, there may be associated abnormalities involving other ectodermal structures.

Histology of inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus

In ILVEN, sections show skin with psoriasiform epidermal hyperplasia with alternating orthokeratosis and parakeratosis (figure 1). The orthokeratotic areas overlie depressed epidermis with marked hypergranulosis (figure 2). The zones of parakeratosis overlie hypogranulosis (figure 3). There are spongiotic epidermal changes and small microvesicles. There is a mixed dermal inflammatory response (figure 4).

Inflammatory Linear Verrucous Epidermal Naevus pathology

Special studies for inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus

None are generally needed.

Differential diagnosis of inflammatory linear verrucous epidermal naevus

Epidermal naevus – This resembles seborrheic keratosis and generally lacks the inflammatory changes and characteristic changes in the stratum corneum seen in ILVEN.

Psoriasis — Distinction can be difficult without clinical correlation. Neutrophilic pustulation is generally not a feature of ILVEN.

 

References

  • Weedon’s Skin Pathology (Third edition, 2010). David Weedon

On DermNet

Books about skin diseases

 

Related information

Sign up to the newsletter