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Wood's lamp
Indications:
Wood's lamp is especially useful in:
1) detection of dermatophytosis of the hair shaft (green to yellow)
2) erythrasma (coral red)
3) examination of urine for pinkish red fluorescence characteristic of porphyria
4) pigmented lesions of the epidermis are accentuated
5) dermal pigment (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) fades
6) vitiligo appears white; unsuspected areas may become apparent
7) demonstration of Tinea versicolor
8) recognition of ash leaf spots in tuberous sclerosis
Contraindications:
- less sensitive than slit lamp examination for corneal abrasions, corneal ulcers, eye foreign bodies, rust rings, keratitis, & herpes ophthalmicus [3]
Clinical significance:
- ultraviolet light (360 nm) useful for diagnosis of skin disorders & hair disorders
- when UV radiation emitted by the lamp contacts the skin, fluorescent pigments & subtle color differences of melanin pigmentation can be visualized
Related
dermatophytosis
erythrasma
porphyria
General
laboratory instrument
References
- Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, Common
& Serious Diseases, 3rd ed, Fitzpatrick et al, McGraw Hill, NY,
1997, pg 961
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed.
Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY,
1994, pg 274
- Hooker EA, Faulkner WJ, Kelly LD, Whitford RC.
Prospective study of the sensitivity of the Wood's lamp for
common eye abnormalities.
Emerg Med J 2019 Jan 10;
PMID: 30630841
https://emj.bmj.com/content/early/2019/01/10/emermed-2018-208235