Benign skin lesions

Abstract

Virtually every child has a number of benign growths on the skin. Parents of children who ask their pediatrician to look at a growth are usually concerned that the lesion may be cancerous or precancerous. Many papules and nodules that arise in children have very characteristic clinical features that allow a diagnosis to be made without the aid of histological or radiographic evaluation. However, some lesions may be very non-specific in appearance and require a biopsy to make a diagnosis. In some situations, obtaining an imaging study is desirable before a biopsy is performed. For example, lesions along the midline of the face, scalp, and back frequently have connections to the brain or spinal cord, and care must be taken to avoid biopsy of any midline lesion until such a communication is ruled out, usually by CT or MRI. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.