Review article

The dermoscopic rainbow pattern - a review of the literature

Carmen Draghici ; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest
Cristina Vajaitu ; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest
Iulia Solomon ; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest
Vlad Mihai Voiculescu ; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest; Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest
Iris Maria Popa ; Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, “Bagdasar Arseni” Clinical Emergency Hospital, Bucharest
Mihai Lupu

Abstract

The “rainbow” pattern is a relatively new dermoscopic term that describes a bluish-reddish coloration together with various colors of the rainbow observable mainly through polarized light dermoscopy. Despite several theories, the rainbow pattern has not yet been clearly associated with any particular histological structure. This feature has been described in skin lesions with abundant vascularization such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, basal cell carcinoma, scars, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, and others. In this paper we conducted a review of the available studies regarding the appearance of the rainbow pattern in different pathologies. Furthermore, we present a detailed description of the physical phenomenon in order to obtain a better understanding of this peculiar dermoscopic feature.

Keywords

rainbow pattern; Kaposi’s sarcoma; dermoscopy; polarized light; skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma

Hrčak ID:

223235

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/223235

Publication date:

23.7.2019.

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