Rosalie Elenitsas

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history The classic presentation of a mucous cyst involves a 60-year-old female with a mass on the dorsal aspect of her distal phalanx that she first noted several months ago (rarely are they in multiple locations). Associated with the slowly enlarging…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Pilar or trichilemmal cysts typically present as asymptomatic, cystic to firm dermal or subcutaneous nodules. The most common location is the scalp, although they can develop on other sites as well. Patients usually report a stable size or history of…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Epidermal inclusion cysts (EIC) are benign neoplasms of the skin that are also known by the following synonyms: epidermal cyst, infundibular cyst, keratinous cyst, epidermoid cyst and sebaceous cyst. They can occur anywhere on the cutaneous surface, with the face, chest, and back being the most common locations. Characteristic…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Hidrocystomas are common benign sweat gland lesions occurring on the face or scalp, most commonly affecting the eyelid. The typical clinical presentation suggestive of a hidrocystoma is that of an asymptomatic solitary, pea-sized, translucent or blue-black papule or cystic lesion…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Cutaneous bronchogenic cysts (CBC) are very rare benign congenital developmental abnormalities of the tracheobronchial tree. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult, and accurate diagnosis requires histopathologic examination of the lesion. Characteristic findings on physical examination A child presenting with an asymptomatic neck…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? The diagnosis of median raphe cysts can be made with confidence by history, physical examination, and histologic evaluation. What you should be alert for in the history Patients typically present with one or more asymptomatic nodules on the ventral side of the penis. They may complain of tenderness, pain,…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Proliferating trichilemmal tumor (PTT) typically presents as cystic nodules on the scalp of elderly females, although they can arise at other sites and in males. PTT may be asymptomatic, but can be painful if inflammed or ulcerated. Patients report a…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Cutaneous ciliated cysts are rare, benign cysts that are most commonly found on the lower extremities of young women. Most come to the attention of the patient with growth after puberty. Some may be tender, but many are asymptomatic. Characteristic findings on physical examination Cutaneous cilated cysts present as…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Characteristic findings on physical examination Eruptive vellus hair cysts commonly present in childhood with the development of numerous papules on the chest and flexoral arms. Single and multiple lesions have also been described involving many other areas, including the face, back, abdomen, and vulvar labia. Most lesions are asymptomatic…