II. Epidemiology
- Normal variant in 90% of black patients
- Uncommon in lighter skinned patients
III. Signs
- Hyperpigmented longitudinal band
- May involve entire length of nail and affect one or multiple nails
IV. Differential Diagnosis
- See Melanonychia
- See Nail Longitudinal Band
- See Nail Splinter Hemorrhage
-
Subungual Melanoma (50% of Melanomas in dark skinned patients)
- Critical to distinguish from the benign Vertical Nail Bands
V. Evaluation
- Biopsy suspicious Longitudinal Melanonychia
VI. References
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Related Studies
| Concepts | Finding (T033) |
| SnomedCT | 247506000 |
| English | Longitud brown stripes in nail, Longitudinal brown stripes in nails, Longitudinal brown stripes in nails (finding) |
| Spanish | estrías ungueales marrones longitudinales (hallazgo), estrías ungueales marrones longitudinales |
