Skin nontumor

Spongiotic, psoriasiform and pustular reaction patterns

Prurigoform acanthosis



Last author update: 1 August 2011
Last staff update: 18 March 2020

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PubMed Search: Acanthosis [title]

Mowafak Hamodat, M.B.Ch.B., M.Sc.
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Cite this page: Hamodat M. Prurigoform acanthosis. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/skinnontumorprurigoformacanthosis.html. Accessed September 21st, 2023.
Definition / general
  • A chronic spongiotic dermatitis due to sustained skin irritation, often from rubbing or scratching
Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Epidermis shows hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia
  • Subepidermal fibrin deposition and mild spongiosis with dermal scarring
  • Dermis shows vascular hyperplasia with dilated vessels in papillary dermis and reticular dermis
  • New vessel formation with perivascular, mild infiltrate of lymphocytes, some histiocytes, plasma cells and occasional eosinophils; mast cells are normal in number
  • Lymphoid follicles may be seen
  • Nerves may appear normal, increased in number or hyperplastic
Differential diagnosis
  • Cutaneous T cell lymphoma, hypertrophic actinic keratosis (atypia), early keratoacanthoma (atypia)
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