A whitish lesion

A 48-year-old woman consulted for a whitish scar-like lesion on her back.  

Clinical picture: whitish scar-like lesion with a pigmented border. Patient has a background of former heavy sun exposure.

At dermoscopy:

• no signs in favor of a melanocytic lesion
• a structureless  scar-like white pattern
• pinkish areas without any vascular structures
• a peripheral pigmentation (red square) in favor of leaf-like areas

Pathology revealed a superficial basal cell carcinoma

A small pigmented lesion on a leg

A 29-year-old woman consulted for  a small pigmented lesion on her right leg.

Dermoscopy revealed

• spoke wheel areas

Pathology revealed a superficial basal cell carcinoma 

A small lesion...

A 52-year-old woman consulted for a cutaneous check up.
Examination revealed this lesion.

Dermoscopy revealed:

• maple leaf-like areas (black arrow)
• blue ovoid nests (red circle)
• structureless area (red arrow)

This lesion was excised and pathology revealed a superficial basal cell carcinoma.

Red lesion

The same 65-year-old man presented a red lesion on his back.
Dermoscopy revealed:

• no signs for a melanocytic lesion
• thin arborizing vessels (green arrow)
• ulcerations (black arrow)
• blue gray globules (white arrow)

in favour of a basal cell carcinoma

Dorsal red plaque

A 51-year-old man presented a slowly enlarging red plaque on his back.

Dermoscopy revealed:

• absence of pigment network
• thin arborizing vessels

A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of superficial basal cell carcinoma.

In superficial BCC, vessels are often thinner than in other subtypes (nodular BCC).

Thin arborizing vessels

A 67-year-old man consulted for this lesion on his back.

Dermoscopy revealed a vascular pattern with (thin) arborizing vessels, some small ulcérations and some scales.

A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

In superficial BCC, arborizing vessels are often thinner than in other subtypes (nodular), and there are no other signs than arborizing vessels.

Basal cell carcinomas

A 75-year-old patient consulted for 3 lésions on her face and a lesion on her back with superficial ulcerations.

Dermoscopy 1: ulcerations, leaf-like areas

Dermoscopy 2: leaf-like areas, arborizing vessels, blue ovoid nest

Dermoscopy 3: leaf-like areas and arborizing vessels

Dermoscopy 4: leaf-like areas

All these lesions were superficial basal cell carcinomas

Superficial basal cell carcinoma

A 71-year-old man presented an erythematous lesion on his back. Dermoscopy revealed arborizing blood vessels and many ulcerations in favor of a basal cell carcinoma. A biopsy was performed and confirmed the diagnosis of superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Ulcerations are frequent in BCC and are significantly specific in the absence of other signs for a melanoma.