Spongiosis (dermatopathology)

Mild spongiosis (spongiotic dermatitis).

Spongiosis is a dermatopathological descriptive term for intercellular edema in the epidermis. Owing to the edema, the keratinocytes are separated by clearly distinct spaces, which, according to some authors, give the epidermis a spongy appearance. Inflammatory infiltrate (exocytosis) may be present depending on the specific disease and its stage, but its presence is not necessary. Spongiosis can occur in the following dermatitis:

• acute and subacute dermatitis:
• allergic contact dermatitis,
  • irritative contact dermatitis,
  • endogenous eczemas (atopic eczema, dermatitis dyshidrotica, Eczema nummulare),
• chronic dermatitis:
  • lichen simplex chronicus,
  • pityriasis rosea,
  • dermatophytoses,
  • lichen striatus,
  • stasis dermatitis.

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Related articles

• Histopathological changes in the skin
• Histopathological changes in the skin/PGS

Literature

• MILLS, S.E., et al. Sternberg's Diagnostic Surgical Pathology. 5. edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2012. ISBN 9781451152890.