A New Descriptor for Thin Melanoma

Objectives: To determine the frequency and the features of the dermoscopic island (DI) in melanocytic lesions and to assess its specificity for the diagnosis of melanoma. Dermoscopy improves the diagnostic accuracy of melanoma, but only a few dermoscopic descriptors specific for thin melanomas have been identified. We defined a new descriptor, the dermoscopic island, a wellcircumscribed area showing a uniform dermoscopic pattern that differs from the rest of the pigmented lesion. Design: Dermoscopic images of 96 in situ melanomas, 266 invasive melanomas, and 612 dermoscopic atypical neviwereevaluatedtoestablishthepresenceandthemain pattern of the DI. Also, clinical and histologic characteristics were analyzed.