Esophageal Melanosis: A Rare Condition of Undetermined Significance

A 57-year-old woman underwent elective esophagogastroduodenoscopy as part of the workup for iron deficiency anemia. She denied abdominal pain, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dysphagia, or weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a darkly pigmented desquamated patch of approximately 3 cm in the mid-esophagus (Figure A). Biopsy of the patch showed unusual hyperpigmentation at the basal layer of the epithelium (Figure B) with no atypia, and immunohistochemistry stain for melanocytes was positive (Figure C), consistent with esophageal melanosis.

Source: Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology - March 18, 2019 Category: Gastroenterology Authors: Navroop Nagra, Gaurav Singhvi, Lucilene Tolentino Tags: Electronic Image of the Month Source Type: research