SUBEPIDERMAL CALCIFIED NODULE IN CHILDREN - A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 21 CASES

Twenty-one cases of subepidermal calcific nodule are presented, These lesions occur twice as commonly in males compared to females, with the head (particularly the ear), and neck as favored locations. No case w as identified correctly clinically and only 1 case had a history of tr auma, which appeared unrelated to the lesion, Histologically, there wa s a variety of appearances, with two-thirds of specimens exhibiting a warty architecture. Younger lesions were composed of large, amorphous, calcific dermal deposits and were frequently associated with epiderma l ulceration, The older lesions were not ulcerated and the calcium dep osits were in small spherules. There was no evidence of pilomatrixoma or pre-existing nevus. It is hypothesized that subepidermal calcified nodule represents dystrophic calcification secondary to dermal injury- several in our series showed the architectural changes of verruca vulg aris.