This image depicts a patient’s chest, which displays numerous darkly-pigmented cutaneous lesions, which had been diagnosed as malignant melanoma (MM).
When diagnosing MM from a gross pathologic perspective, i.e., with the naked eye, a physician must keep in mind the “ABCDE” rule, which represents:
- A = Asymmetry – Is the shape of the lesion(s) symmetrical, evenly distributed/shaped?
- B = Border Irregularity – Is the border of the lesion(s) smooth or rough?
- C = Color Variability – Is the lesion(s) multicolored, or of a single color?
- D = Diameter – Is the lesion(s) greater than 6mm (0.24in.)?
- E = Evolution – How did the lesion(s) evolve over time, i.e., did it appear, or change, quickly, or over a long
period of time?Source: CDC/ Carl Washington, M.D., Emory Univ. School of Medicine; Mona Saraiya, MD, MPH
