Pigmented Lesions Background Pigmented lesions usually refer to melanocytic proliferations. The melanocyte comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Benign proliferations are often called moles or nevi.
Malignant proliferations are melanomas.
As skin cancer awareness grows, patients are presenting to their physicians with earlier forms of pigmented lesions. One of the most challenging and litigious areas of pathology is the accurate diagnosis of these pigmented lesions. Increasingly pathologists are called upon to make definitive diagnoses of benign nevi or malignant melanoma. In actuality, there is a spectrum of changes between the two extremes and this gray area is one of active debate. An experienced dermatopathologist is often called upon to render a final diagnosis.