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Misnomers in Dermatology

  • Published:
Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Background

Dermatology lexicon is rich with descriptive terminology. However, for a variety of reasons, it also includes a number of misnomers.

Objective

To review the more commonly encountered and critically appraised misnomers in dermatology.

Methods

A search of MEDLINE (1966 – 2004), eMedicine dermatology text and electronic versions of two standard dermatology texts, Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology in General Medicine and Dermatology, was performed using the permutations of the terms: dermatology, skin, cutaneous, and misnomer.

Results

Greater than 40 misnomers were identified.

Conclusions

Misnomers in dermatology stem largely from lack of appreciation of underlying etiology or histopathological features of certain skin conditions, imprecise historical observations and erroneous eponymous credit. Historical, clinical, or histopathological explanations are used to clarify the nature of the misnomers, and in some cases suggestions for improved terminology are provided.

Sommaire

Antécédents

Le lexique dermatologique est riche en terminologie descriptive. Toutefois, pour diverses raisons, il contient également de fausses appellations.

Objectif

Passer en revue les fausses appellations les plus fréquentes en dermatologie.

Méthodes

Une recherche sur MEDLINE (de 1966 à 2004), dans des textes en dermatologie sur eMedicine, et dans les versions électroniques de deux textes standards (Dermatology in General Medicine et Dermatology) a été effectuée au moyen de permutations des termes suivants : dematology (dermatologie), skin (peau), cutaneous (cutané) et misnomer (fausse appellation).

Résultats

On a trouvé plus de quarante fausses appellations fréquentes.

Conclusions

Les fausses appellations en dermatologie émanent essentiellement d’un manque d’appréciation de l’étiologie ou des caractéristiques histologiques sous-jacentes à certaines atteintes cutanées, des observations historiques non précises et des éponymes erronés. Des explications historiques, cliniques et histopathologiques sont utilisées afin de clarifier la nature des fausses appellations et, dans certains cas, de suggérer une amélioration à la terminologie.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Dermatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

    Benjamin Barankin

  2. Division of Dermatology, McGill University, 687 Pine Ave West, Rm A4.17, H3A1A1, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Anatoli Freiman

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  1. Benjamin Barankin
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  2. Anatoli Freiman
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Correspondence to Anatoli Freiman.

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Barankin, B., Freiman, A. Misnomers in Dermatology. J Cutan Med Surg 9, 284–288 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10227-005-0102-7

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