Mucocele - DermAtlas - Dermatology Image Atlas

Contributor

Greg Hosler, MD, PhD

Diagnosis

mucocele

Body Site

lip

Age

31 years

Pigmentation

medium

Organization

ill defined

Color

brown

Morphology

papule

Pattern

solitary

Comments

This woman presented with a history of a growing mass on her inner (mucosal) lower lip. Mucoceles are fairly common and may result from retention of mucus within ducts of minor salivary glands or from rupture, spilling the mucus into the stroma with an associated inflammatory response. This is an extravasation mucocele with mucin lined by foamy histiocytes. Mucoceles are benign, but may mimic malignancies clinically.

Description

There is a large cystic cavity filled with eosinophlic mucin. The overlying mucosa appears uninfolved.

Image Added

12/14/2009 16:18:33

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Other Resources

PubMed Medline Plus Medscape

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