Relative Area Index in Congenital Nevi

Abstract

To the Editor.— In the October 1985 issue of the Archives, Elder¹ points out that the clinician still needs more data describing congenital nevocytic nevi (CNN). One factor that may be of importance is nevus size. Since CNN probably grow with the rest of the body, from birth until adulthood, I believe it is of value to express nevus size in relation to body surface area (BSA). Kopf et al² have suggested a division of CNN, depending on the largest diameter, into small (less than 15 mm), medium (15 to 199 mm), and large (200 mm or more). They also state that a nevus can change category as an infant grows to adulthood, "although the percent of body surface area of the nevus remains fairly constant." The same division of CNN has been made by the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference, but with the addition "according to