Book excerpt: Constituting a large percentage of everyday diagnostic practice, melanocytic pathology is a complex and challenging area with many difficult-to-diagnose lesions. This highly illustrated reference, written by three of the world's leading dermatopathologists, provides authoritative guidance in the accurate diagnosis of even the most challenging pigmented skin tumors, helping you avoid pitfalls and recognize mimics. - Covers nearly every variant of melanocytic tumors you're likely to see. - Emphasizes how to arrive at an efficient, accurate diagnosis, and includes dermoscopic findings for optimal diagnostic precision. - Discusses modern analytic techniques (cytogenetics, molecular studies) and how to use them for diagnosis. - Includes numerous case examples to illustrate the differential diagnoses and work-up; how to use ancillary techniques, along with their pros, cons, and limitations; and clinical follow-up. - Presents the knowledge and experience of Klaus Busam, Pedram Gerami, and Richard Scolyer, – three dermatopathologists who are globally renowned for their expertise in melanoma pathology and analysis of melanocytic tumors by modern ancillary diagnostic techniques.