A 38 year old woman presented with a 2 week history of tender, swollen nodules on her lower legs. Her only current medication was a triphasic oral contraceptive. She denies any history of inflammatory bowel disease, sarcoidosis, or chronic infections. Physical examination revealed erythematous nodular swellings on the anterior lower legs. A punch biopsy specimen was obtained from a lesion on the left anterior tibia reveals a septal inflammation of subcutaneous fat. This best description of this rash is:

Erythema nodosum * Erythema nodosum produces debilitating cutaneous symptoms indicative of a variety of underlying pathophysiologic processes. * The condition can develop in a patient with acute disease or one who is asymptomatic, and onset is sudden. * Symptoms include fever, chills, malaise, and ahralgia. Leukocytosis also can be seen. Tender erythematous ill-defined, subcutaneous nodules appear most often on the shins but may occur on the face, neck, trunk, or arms. * These lesions are symmetric, gradually regress into lesions similar to bruises, arid usually disappear within 3 to 6 weeks with no ulceration or scarring.