• Cafe au lait spots from eight patients presumed to have neurofibromatosis were evaluated for giant pigment granules (GPGs) by light microscope examination of dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa)-incubated epidermal whole-mount specimens and by light microscope examination of tissue sections. Giant pigment granules were found in six of eight of the dopa-incubated epidermal whole-mount specimens and in all eight of the paraffin-embedded specimens sectioned and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Our findings suggest that routine biopsy preparations can be used to identify GPGs. This should facilitate studies of the incidence and significance of GPGs in cafe au lait spots.
(Arch Dermatol 1982;118:385-388)