Sylvia Hsu

Cutaneous Actinomycosis Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? Actinomycosis is often called the “great masquerader” of the head and neck. Prompt diagnosis is difficult because of the lack of clinical symptoms. Patients may present with an insidious onset of constitutional symptoms, such as fever, anorexia, malaise, weight loss, and night sweats. A slowly enlarging, tender…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Patients will describe a gradual eruption of papules or nodules on sun-exposed skin. Although usually asymptomatic, the lesions may be mildly pruritic and distressful to the patient. It is also important to ask about excess and unprotected sun exposure, petroleum…

Are You Confident of the Diagnosis? What you should be alert for in the history Although the diagnosis of granuloma faciale (GF) is difficult to establish by history alone, and is characteristically confirmed by clinical and histologic features, the following may be helpful in securing the diagnosis: The patient will often be a middle-aged white…