• A group of disorders characterized clinically by one to several circinate, arcuate or polycyclic lesions that may be fixed or migratory
• Histologically, there is a tight perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltrate ("cuffing") which may involve the vessel wall ("lymphocytic vasculitis")
• The various entities in this group are subcategorized into two groups, depending upon whether the perivascular infiltrates are superficial only or both superficial and deep.
• Because of considerable overlap and nonspecificity of features, precise histologic classification is not always possible, and the diagnosis often rests upon a combination of clinical and histologic findings.
• Specific disease entities in in the group of gyrate erythemas include: erythema annulare centrifugum, erythema gyratum repens, erythema marginatum, annular erythemas of infancy and erythema chronicum migrans.

Erythema annulare centrifugum:

Clinical Features:

• Large, annular scaly plaques, most commonly on the trunk of adults
• May be idiopathic or secondary to a variety of conditions such as infections, autoimmune diseases, drugs or neoplasia.

Histologic Features:

• Superficial variant (more common):
  • Spongiosis with exocytosis and parakeratosis and papillary dermal edema 
  • Sharply demarcated superficial perivascular lymphocytic inflammation ("coat sleeve" or "cuffing")
• Superficial and deep variant:
  • Normal epidermis
  • Lymphocytes "cuff" both superficial and deep blood vessels.

Cases associated with this book:

Gyrate erythema
Author: Stephen Lyle, M.D., Ph.D.

Conference: DermatopathologyConsultations.com Teaching Collection

Erythema annulare centrifugum
Author: Stephen Lyle, M.D., Ph.D.

Conference: DermatopathologyConsultations.com Teaching Collection