Annular scaly erythematous plaque on the right chest
BMJ 2022; 379 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-071572 (Published 08 December 2022) Cite this as: BMJ 2022;379:e071572
- Tian Chen, resident dermatologist,
- Dong-Lai Ma, professor of dermatology
- Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases, Beijing 100730, China
- Correspondence to: D-L Ma mdonglai{at}yeah.net
A woman in her 80s presented to dermatology with a three year history of a persisting, mildly pruritic, annular, infiltrated, erythematous plaque with crusts and scales on the right side of her chest (fig 1). She said this area was frequently exposed to the sun in the summer, when she would usually wear vests. Despite treatment with topical corticosteroids and antifungal ointment for various periods over the three years, the lesion persisted with only slight improvement. Microscopic examination of scales for fungi (potassium hydroxide test) was negative.
Annular, infiltrated, erythematous plaque with crusts and scales on the right side of the chest.
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