{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,4]],"date-time":"2026-06-04T23:13:09Z","timestamp":1780614789628,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,2]],"date-time":"2026-03-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1772409600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Cutaneous melanoma metastases (CMM) represent a clinically relevant manifestation of advanced melanoma and may constitute the first sign of disseminated disease. Their diagnosis is challenging because CMM shows highly variable clinical and dermoscopic presentations and frequently mimic other benign or malignant skin lesions. Although dermoscopy is routinely used to improve skin lesion assessment, dermoscopic criteria specific to CMM remain poorly defined and still non-standardized. Methods: We performed a narrative review of the literature to summarize dermoscopic features reported in CMM. MedLine (via PubMed) and Web of Science were searched up to 3 December 2025 using the keywords \u201cdermoscopy\u201d and \u201cmelanoma metastasis,\u201d complemented by manual reference screening. Eligible studies were English-language full-text articles in peer-reviewed journals providing a complete dermoscopic description. Extracted data included patient demographics and major dermoscopic criteria, categorized as global patterns and focal dermoscopic and vascular structures. Due to heterogeneity, results were synthesized descriptively. Results: Twenty studies were included, comprising 774 patients. Dermoscopic findings were markedly heterogeneous. Globally, lesions frequently showed homogeneous pigmentation with variable colors and included amelanotic presentations. Commonly evaluated focal features included irregular dots and globules, crystalline structures, peripheral gray dots, and lacuna-like areas. Vascular patterns were prominent, particularly serpentine and corkscrew-like vessels. Conclusions: CMM dermoscopy is characterized by substantial heterogeneity and a lack of standardized criteria. Systematic classification of recurring dermoscopic features may improve diagnostic consistency and provide an interpretable framework for future artificial intelligence-based approaches supporting non-invasive recognition of melanoma metastases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics16050738","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,3]],"date-time":"2026-03-03T15:22:21Z","timestamp":1772551341000},"page":"738","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Dermoscopy of Cutaneous Melanoma Metastases: A Comprehensive Literature Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8315-3413","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"D\u2019Onghia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Serena","family":"Agueci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Biagio","family":"Scotti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesca","family":"Falcinelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-5807-0664","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sofia","family":"Lo Conte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1818-6275","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessandra","family":"Cartocci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-7721-568X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian Dorado","family":"Cortez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-\u00c9tienne, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France"},{"name":"Melanoma Unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3186-2861","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emi","family":"Dika","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy"},{"name":"Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, 40138 Bologna, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6691-4310","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Linda","family":"Tognetti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pietro","family":"Rubegni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4479-9961","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"JeanLuc","family":"Perrot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-\u00c9tienne, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France"},{"name":"Melanoma Unit, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42270 Saint-Etienne, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4009-0659","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisa","family":"Cinotti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dermatology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 51300 Siena, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"971","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31559-9","article-title":"Melanoma","volume":"392","author":"Schadendorf","year":"2018","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"e14165","article-title":"The role of topical imiquimod in melanoma cutaneous metastases: A critical review of the literature","volume":"33","author":"Patrizi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Dermatol. 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