Melanocytic Naevus
Pronunciation: mel-an-oh-SIT-ik NEE-vus
A benign proliferation of melanocytes presenting as a pigmented skin lesion, commonly referred to as a mole, which may be congenital or acquired.
Full Definition
Melanocytic naevi (plural) are the most prevalent melanocytic tumours, arising from clonal proliferations of naevus cells derived from melanocyte precursors. They are classified by anatomical location within the skin as junctional (at the dermoepidermal junction), compound (both junctional and dermal), or intradermal (entirely within the dermis), with each variant carrying different clinical and dermoscopic characteristics. Editors must note the preferred British spelling 'naevus' (plural: naevi) as opposed to the American 'nevus/nevi'; both may appear depending on publication geography and style guides should specify which is preferred. In melanoma surveillance literature, melanocytic naevi are quantified as a key risk factor and must not be conflated with dysplastic (atypical) naevi.
Usage
Usage note: British spelling: naevus/naevi; American: nevus/nevi. Standardise to one form throughout a document. Do not conflate with dysplastic naevus or melanoma.
In Context
- "The patient had over 50 melanocytic naevi, placing her in a high-risk category for melanoma surveillance." — Dermatology surveillance clinic letter
- "The manuscript used 'nevi' throughout; the editor queried the journal's preferred spelling and standardised to 'naevi'." — Journal copyedit