Signature nevi: individuals with multiple melanocytic nevi commonly have similar clinical and histologic patterns

Abstract

Individuals with multiple melanocytic nevi oftentimes have melanocytic nevi, usually two, with similar clinical and histopathologic patterns that may be typical or atypical. The melanocytic nevi are known in common parlance as signature nevi [1, 2]. In addition to being aware of these nevi, finding multiple unconventional melanocytic nevi with architectural pattern asymmetric and/or cellular pattern atypical helps to lend credence to the diagnosis of melanocytic nevus rather than melanoma. In order to evaluate the concept of the signature nevus we reviewed the histopathologic patterns of melanocytic nevi from patients having at least two nevi with similar histologic patterns.

Keywords

• signature nevi
• patterns