Spitz nevus

A type of melanocytic nevus, it affects the epidermis and dermis.

[1] On histopathology, Spitz nevi characteristically have vertically arranged nests of nevus cells that have both a spindled and an epithelioid morphology.

The main histologic differential diagnoses are pigmented spindle cell nevus and malignant melanoma.

Their annual incidence was estimated in a coastal population of sub-tropical Queensland to be 1.4 cases per 100,000 people.

For comparison, the annual incidence of melanoma in the same population, which is high by world standards[5] is 25.4 cases per 100,000 people.

Micrograph of a Spitz nevus showing the characteristic vertically arranged nests of cells ("hanging bananas"). H&E stain .
Various differential diagnoses of pigmented skin lesions, by relative incidence and malignancy potential, including "Spitz, Reed or spindle nevus" at top right.