ABSTRACT
Despite the rising incidence of melanoma in the Caucasian population, there has not been a concomitantly dramatic increase in mortality, which is due, in part, to the advent of better tools that have been made available for the early detection of melanoma. This article presents an overview of some of the recent diagnostic developments that are of potential interest to practicing dermatologists. Some of these diagnostic advances include: total body photography; dermoscopy; multispectral imaging; confocal scanning laser microscopy; teledermatology; high-frequency ultrasound; computed tomography; magnetic resonance imaging; immunohistochemical stains; comparative genomic hybridization; microphthalmia transcription factor; and melanoma sniffing dogs. Although not all of these tools are uniformly accepted nor mandatory, a passing familiarity with them will be helpful as additional data regarding their use evolves.
Subject(s)
Diagnostic Imaging/methods , Melanoma/diagnosis , Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis , Biomarkers, Tumor/analysis , Comparative Genomic Hybridization , Dermoscopy/methods , Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted , Early Diagnosis , Equipment Design , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Melanoma/chemistry , Melanoma/genetics , Melanoma/pathology , Microscopy, Confocal/methods , Sensitivity and Specificity , Skin Neoplasms/chemistry , Skin Neoplasms/genetics , Skin Neoplasms/pathologyABSTRACT
Nodular amyloidosis is a rare entity that predominantly affects females in the sixth and seventh decades. Frequent cutaneous sites of involvement are the extremities, trunk, and genitalia. Numerous cosmetic procedures have been employed to treat the lesions of nodular amyloidosis. Dermabrasion, which was performed on the lesions of nodular amyloidosis on the chin after surgical debulking, proved successful in the treatment of localized nodular amyloidosis. Follow-up at 26 months showed no clinical evidence of recurrence. Dermabrasion offers another acceptable modality for cosmetic treatment of nodular amyloidosis.
Subject(s)
Amyloidosis/surgery , Dermabrasion , Skin Diseases/surgery , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
The relatedness of immunodominant protein antigens in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. africanum, and M. bovis BCG was investigated by comparing the genes that encode major protein antigens in M. tuberculosis with their counterparts in the other two mycobacteria. Genes encoding homologs of M. tuberculosis major protein antigens were isolated from M. africanum and M. bovis BCG by constructing lambda gt11 recombinant DNA expression libraries and screening them with murine monoclonal antibodies and DNA probes. The antibodies were directed against four major protein antigens of M. tuberculosis with molecular masses of 71, 65, 19, and 14 kilodaltons. The isolated M. africanum and M. bovis BCG DNA clones were mapped with restriction endonucleases, and the maps of the mycobacterial genes were confirmed by Southern analysis of mycobacterial genomic DNA. The restriction maps of DNA containing the four genes in M. tuberculosis, M. africanum, and M. bovis BCG are identical, indicating that the immunodominant proteins that they encode are highly homologous in the three mycobacteria. Thus, the immunity against tuberculosis engendered by M. bovis BCG vaccination could be provided, at least in part, by the immune response to these homologous antigens.