EPITHELIOID CELL SPITZ NEVUS OF THE EYELID

PURPOSE: To report a 20-month-old child with a rapidly growing dome-sh aped red nodule on the left lower eyelid. The lesion was diagnosed cli nically as an hemangioma, but microscopy disclosed an epithelioid Spit z nevus. METHOD: Case report. RESULT: Histopathologic examination of t he excised lesion disclosed a Spitz nevus (benign juvenile melanoma) o f a chiefly epithelioid cell type. CONCLUSIONS: The differential diagn osis of eyelid skin modules in children should include Spitz nevus. Th is uncommon nevus has many cytologic features in common with nodular m alignant melanoma. Histologically, it may be difficult to distinguish between nodular malignant melanoma and Spitz nevus. (Am J Ophthalmol 1 998;126: 735-737. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserve d.).