Description
Reporting of skin biopsies represents a significant proportion of the workload of many general histopathologists. Whilst the majority cause few problems, several areas of dermatopathology do present considerable diagnostic challenges. This issue of the CPD bulletin addresses, in a practical diagnostic context, some of the areas which, in my opinion, produce the greatest diagnostic consternation.
The first half is devoted to aspects of inflammatory dermatoses. The crucial importance of close clinicopathological correlation in the optimal evaluation of inflammatory skin disease represents a major theme running throughout these four articles. Bill Phillips, a consultant dermatologist with considerable experience of diagnostic dermatopathology, is ideally placed to set the scene with a discussion of the clinician-pathologist interaction in dermatopathology. Karen Blessing succinctly presents an overall pathological approach to inflammatory dermatoses, emphasising the utility of reaction pattern analysis. The pathological evaluation of specific reaction patterns is illustrated by Eduardo Calonje’s review of the analysis of interface (lichenoid) dermatoses. Finally, Peter Millard and Kieron White present a practical diagnostic guide to the use of immunofluorescence in the investigation of bullous disease.
The second half of this issue addresses aspects of cutaneous tumour pathology. The importance of melanocytic lesions in pathological practice is emphasised by devoting two articles to the subject. Scott Sanders and Karen Blessing provide a practical guide to the reporting of melanoma together with a succinct resum?? of the scientific basis for the important prognostic parameters which are likely to be included in the forthcoming minimum data set guidelines. Martin Cook takes an enlightening tour around the difficult diagnostic area of spindle cell melanocytic lesions. The Oxford contribution addresses two uncommon groups of cutaneous tumours, namely sweat gland carcinomas and cutaneous B cell lymphomas which, largely because of their rarity and nosological confusion, are commonly regarded as particularly difficult areas of dermatopathology.
We hope that this issue provides stimulating and informative reviews which, most importantly, will provide some benefit to you in your routine diagnostic practice.
