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Course: Violaceous Plaques on the Left Lower Extremity

CME Credits: 1.00

Released: 2021-10-27

A young man presented to the clinic with large, purple plaques on the left lower extremity. The plaques had been present for years, but the patient noted enlargement and darkening for the past 5 years. The lesions were asymptomatic with no associated pruritus, bleeding, or pain. No treatments or diagnostic workup had been attempted prior to presentation. The patient was otherwise healthy and was a never-smoker with no history of hypertension, atherosclerotic disease, or HIV.
Physical examination revealed dark violaceous plaques, scattered subcutaneous nodules, and swelling to the mid-shin of the left lower extremity (, A). There was mild warmth noted, but no palpable bruits. Complete metabolic panel, complete blood cell count, prothrombin, and serology were negative or within normal limits. A punch biopsy was performed and submitted for histopathologic analysis (, B).


Educational Objective
Based on this clinical scenario and the accompanying image, understand how to arrive at a correct diagnosis.


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