Could That Hard Lump Under Your Skin Be a Pilomatricoma?
Understanding Pilomatricoma Through Imaging and Pathology Keywords: Pilomatricoma, skin nodule, pediatric skin tumor, calcified lump, benign skin tumor, pilomatricoma ultrasound, pilomatricoma CT, ghost cells, cutaneous adnexal tumor, hard lump under skin What Is Pilomatricoma? Pilomatricoma (also known as calcifying epithelioma of Malherbe) is a rare, benign skin tumor that originates from hair matrix cells. Most frequently seen in children and adolescents, this tumor presents as a firm, subcutaneous nodule and typically grows slowly. Though generally harmless, it may resemble more concerning conditions, making proper diagnosis crucial. Clinical Case Snapshot A 10-year-old boy presented with a slowly enlarging, firm mass on his right cheek, which had first been noticed a year prior. The lesion was painless, with normal overlying skin and no signs of inflammation. Imaging via ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) revealed a well-defined nodule with internal calcifications. Fo...