Pigmented Pilomatricoma on the Ear Resembling Vascular Tumor before Surgery: A Case Report

Abstract

Pilomatricoma is characterized by a semi-transparent epidermis, especially pigmented pilomatricoma, containing melanocytes in basaloid cells, which are dark and purple, resembling vessel-derived skin masses. If the vascularity at doppler ultrasound is high before surgery, it may be misdiagnosed.A 10-year-old female patient visited our clinic because of a mass in the right ear triangular fossa. Ultrasonography was performed, and a vascular-origin tumor was suspected because of the high vascularity. The excised mass was diagnosed as pigmented pilomatricoma by a pathologist.Pilomatricoma is mistaken for other masses owing to its various phenotypes. A misdiagnosis can lead to misdirected strategies which can cause delayed treatment and can result in an increase in the size of the pilomatricoma, making the sequalae of surgery more complicated. For proper treatment, careful examination and evaluation are required before surgery.