Hobnail Hemangioma With an Unusual Clinical Presentation

J Cutan Med Surg. 2017 Mar/Apr;21(2):164-166. doi: 10.1177/1203475416673804. Epub 2016 Oct 6.

Abstract

Hobnail hemangioma, also known as targetoid hemosiderotic hemangioma, is an uncommon vascular proliferation that clinically presents as a small solitary red to purple papule or macule, located on the limbs or trunk. Multiple lesions and atypical locations have been described. Histopathologically, it exhibits a biphasic pattern, with dilated vessels in the superficial dermis and angulated vessels in the deeper dermis, with endothelial cells that show a hobnail appearance. There is controversy about the histogenetic origin of hobnail hemangioma, although recent studies support that it is a lymphatic malformation. The investigators report the case of a 41-year-old man with an irregular lesion, red to purple in color, with a maximum diameter of 4 cm, on the scalp. The location and in particular the clinical appearance are uncommon. Immunohistochemical analysis showed negativity for WT1 and focal positivity for D2-40. Clinical-pathologic correlation acquires particular importance in the case of lesions with atypical clinical presentation.

Keywords: hemangioma; hobnail cells; hobnail hemangioma; immunohistochemistry; pathology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Hemangioma / chemistry
  • Hemangioma / diagnosis
  • Hemangioma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / analysis
  • Scalp*
  • Skin Neoplasms / chemistry
  • Skin Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology*
  • WT1 Proteins / analysis

Substances

  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • PDPN protein, human
  • WT1 Proteins
  • WT1 protein, human