Would you biopsy this asymptomatic papule?
For several months, a 51-year-old African American woman has had an asymptomatic erythematous papule on the nose. She is otherwise healthy.
Case 2:
For several months, a 51-year-old African American woman has had an asymptomatic erythematous papule on the nose. She is otherwise healthy.
Can you identify this lesion?
A. Basal cell carcinoma.
B. Sarcoidosis.
C. Fibrous papule of the nose.
D. Rosacea.
E. Hemangioma.
Answers on Next Page
Case 2: Sarcoidosis
A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, B. Subsequent evaluation revealed lung involvement. The disease is a great mimicker, and a biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Basal cell carcinoma is unusual in a black patient and is likely to be associated with a history of bleeding. Fibrous papules of the nose are smaller than this patient's lesion. Rosacea does not present with a solitary papule; hemangiomas appear more vascular.
