Hutchinson's sign

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Hutchinson's sign is a clinical sign in medicine that is often associated with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It is named after Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, a British surgeon and pathologist.

Pronunciation

The term is pronounced as "Hutch-in-son's sign".

Etymology

The sign is named after Sir Jonathan Hutchinson (1828–1913), a British surgeon and pathologist who first described it.

Definition

Hutchinson's sign is a clinical sign that is indicative of melanoma. It is characterized by the spread of pigment from a melanoma to the surrounding skin, or to the skin around or under the nail (periungual skin). In the case of subungual melanoma (melanoma of the nail unit), Hutchinson's sign refers to the extension of pigment onto the proximal and lateral nail folds.

Related Terms

  • Melanoma: A type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes.
  • Periungual: Referring to the area surrounding a nail.
  • Subungual: Referring to the area beneath a nail.
  • Nail unit: Comprises the nail plate, nail bed, hyponychium, lateral and proximal nail folds, and the eponychium.
  • Pathologist: A medical professional who studies the causes and effects of diseases, especially one who examines laboratory samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes.
  • Surgeon: A medical practitioner qualified to practice surgery.

See Also

External links

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