GOLD IN THE DERMIS FOLLOWING CHRYSOTHERAPY - HISTOPATHOLOGY AND MICROANALYSIS

Paraffin-embedded sections of skin from patients with rheumatoid arthr itis treated with gold who had developed skin rashes were examined by light microscopy and scanning electronmicroscopy with microanalysis. S parse, small, brown or black granules in plump, often elongated cells in the dermis were shown to contain gold by energy dispersive X-ray mi croanalysis. These cells expressed some macrophage markers. The amount of gold present showed some correlation with the total gold dose. Gol d was not confined to lesional skin. In one case where uninvolved skin was examined, more gold was found there than in lesional skin.