Transillumination: A Diagnostic Tool to Assess Subungual Glomus Tumors

Abstract

Diagnosis of subungual glomus tumors is mainly based on clinical symptoms, including paroxysmal pain, tenderness, and cold intolerance. Dermoscopy, ultrasonography, and MRI constitute further diagnostic tools, commonly performed to demarcate the tumor before surgery. Herein, we present 2 cases of subungual glomus tumors, which could be diagnosed after fingertip transillumination, highlighting that this technique can serve as an easy, noninvasive, and cost-effective adjuvant diagnostic tool, to facilitate the clinical diagnosis of subungual glomus tumors as well as their localization during preoperative assessment.