{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T01:03:25Z","timestamp":1790125405905,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":14,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790035200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790035200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Cutan Pathol"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Dermal postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is frequently refractory to treatment, and therapeutic response is thought to depend on the depth and distribution of dermal pigment. Key quantitative histopathologic features, however, remain poorly defined.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Ninety\u2010five biopsy\u2010proven cases of dermal PIH were analyzed. Fontana\u2013Masson\u2013stained sections underwent image analysis to quantify epidermal and dermal pigmentation intensity, melanophage density, cross\u2010sectional area, and depth. Associations with inflammatory etiology, Fitzpatrick skin type (FST), and sun\u2010exposure status of the biopsy site were assessed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Epidermal pigmentation intensity was significantly increased in spongiotic dermatitis, higher FST, and sun\u2010exposed sites. Dermal pigmentation intensity was associated with sun exposure. Melanophage density increased with higher FST but was lower in spongiotic dermatitis compared with lichenoid and vacuolar interface dermatitis. In contrast, melanophage cross\u2010sectional area and depth showed no significant associations with etiology, FST, or anatomic site. Median melanophage depth was 295.0\u2009\u03bcm (IQR, 220.0\u2013407.0\u2009\u03bcm) from stratum corneum and 163.0\u2009\u03bcm (IQR, 111.2\u2013235.5\u2009\u03bcm) from basement membrane, with consistent measurements across subgroups.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Despite variability in epidermal pigmentation and melanophage density, melanophage depth is uniform across dermal PIH. These findings refine the conventional epidermal\u2010dermal PIH classification and support a quantitative, anatomy\u2010based framework to inform depth\u2010targeted treatment strategies.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/cup.70216","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T00:24:30Z","timestamp":1790123070000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Quantitative Histopathologic Analysis of Pigmentation and Melanophage Distribution in Dermal Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation"],"prefix":"10.1111","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0204-4085","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hye Jin","family":"Chung","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2537-5901","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Danielle R.","family":"Rinck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-1392-6395","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Li\u2010Chi","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School  Worcester Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4712-7001","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Steven R.","family":"Tahan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pathology Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.2165\/11536930-000000000-00000","article-title":"Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Etiologic and Therapeutic Considerations","volume":"12","author":"Callender V. D.","year":"2011","journal-title":"American Journal of Clinical Dermatology"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"607","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2017.01.036","article-title":"Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: A Comprehensive Overview: Treatment Options and Prevention","volume":"77","author":"Chaowattanapanit S.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2017.01.035","article-title":"Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: A Comprehensive Overview: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical Presentation, and Noninvasive Assessment Technique","volume":"77","author":"Silpa\u2010Archa N.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology"},{"issue":"2","key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1111\/cup.12849","article-title":"Two Histopathological Patterns of Postinflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Epidermal and Dermal","volume":"44","author":"Park J. Y.","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Cutaneous Pathology"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2024.09.004","article-title":"Focal Point Technology: Controlling Treatment Depth and Pattern of Skin Injury by a Novel Highly Focused Laser","volume":"92","author":"Manstein D.","year":"2025","journal-title":"Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology"},{"issue":"7","key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"676","DOI":"10.1038\/nmeth.2019","article-title":"Fiji: An Open\u2010Source Platform for Biological\u2010Image Analysis","volume":"9","author":"Schindelin J.","year":"2012","journal-title":"Nature Methods"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"492","DOI":"10.1001\/archdermatol.2009.388","article-title":"Morphologic Features of Melanophages Under In\u00a0Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy","volume":"146","author":"Guitera P.","year":"2010","journal-title":"Archives of Dermatology"},{"issue":"9","key":"e_1_2_12_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"862","DOI":"10.1038\/modpathol.3880402","article-title":"Morphologic Features of Melanocytes, Pigmented Keratinocytes, and Melanophages by In\u00a0Vivo Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy","volume":"14","author":"Busam K. J.","year":"2001","journal-title":"Modern Pathology"},{"issue":"4","key":"e_1_2_12_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"202","DOI":"10.1111\/phpp.12170","article-title":"Basal Cell Carcinomas on Sun\u2010Protected vs. Sun\u2010Exposed Body Sites: A Comparison of Phenotypic and Environmental Risk Factors","volume":"31","author":"Khalesi M.","year":"2015","journal-title":"Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_11_1","volume-title":"Weedon's Skin Pathology E\u2010Book","author":"Patterson J. W.","year":"2024"},{"issue":"12","key":"e_1_2_12_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms23126682","article-title":"Immunological Pathomechanisms of Spongiotic Dermatitis in Skin Lesions of Atopic Dermatitis","volume":"23","author":"Tanei R.","year":"2022","journal-title":"International Journal of Molecular Sciences"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_12_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2091","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajpath.2011.01.037","article-title":"Type 2 Helper T\u2010Cell Cytokines Induce Morphologic and Molecular Characteristics of Atopic Dermatitis in Human Skin Equivalent","volume":"178","author":"Kamsteeg M.","year":"2011","journal-title":"American Journal of Pathology"},{"issue":"5","key":"e_1_2_12_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1214","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0022-202X.2004.22516.x","article-title":"Proteinase\u2010Activated Receptor\u20102 Stimulates Prostaglandin Production in Keratinocytes: Analysis of Prostaglandin Receptors on Human Melanocytes and Effects of PGE2 and PGF2\u03b1 on Melanocyte Dendricity","volume":"122","author":"Scott G.","year":"2004","journal-title":"Journal of Investigative Dermatology"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_2_12_15_1","first-page":"1421","article-title":"Roles of Inflammation Factors in Melanogenesis","volume":"21","author":"Fu C.","year":"2020","journal-title":"Molecular Medicine Reports"}],"container-title":["Journal of Cutaneous Pathology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/cup.70216","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/cup.70216","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/cup.70216","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T00:24:32Z","timestamp":1790123072000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/cup.70216"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"references-count":14,"alternative-id":["10.1111\/cup.70216"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/cup.70216","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["0303-6987","1600-0560"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0303-6987","type":"print"},{"value":"1600-0560","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2026-02-09","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-10","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-09-22","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"cup.70216"}}