Cutaneous signs: an opportunity for a diagnosis

Cutaneous signs: an opportunity for a diagnosis

Image with consent of the patient
Drug reaction

A wide range of internal diseases and many malignancies have cutaneous signs associated,  some of them can be shared between  different entities, but others are pathognomonic, that means, are associated with a particular disease, for instance the association between necrolytic migratory erythema and  glucagonoma.

A clinical dermatologist is a treasure

A cutaneous lesion is an opportunity to learn more about the patient and the disease. An experienced dermatologist is a treasure in a health center, when he/she is able to discriminate only with the macroscopic and morphological characteristics. Although a cutaneous biopsy is the normal procedure after the inspection,  it is not uncommon to get only a descriptive pathological report without a functional correlation.

Deliberate practice is a path of self-learning and improvement

Again, an experienced clinical dermatologist is a diamond in a health center or in a hospital. This experience is the result of a “deliberate practice” through all the years for a motivated physician.

Today, mobile phones are a practical tool to help in the deliberate practice attitude,  because they are inside every pocket of every clinician and dermatologist. With the proper respect and collaboration of a patient, a dermatological sign can be shared with other colleagues or to be registered for a future comparison.

Every day in the real clinical practice, doctors have the opportunity to learn from their clinical practice. A dermatologist with a real experience in the clinic is a “rara avis” when we speak about making a diagnosis before a biopsy.

Author: Lorenzo Alonso. Foro Osler

Images obtained under consent of the patient

 

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