Biopsy Report
A formal document issued by a pathology laboratory describing the histopathological findings of a skin tissue sample, including diagnosis and descriptive microscopy.
Full Definition
A skin biopsy report is a structured pathology document that records gross description, microscopic findings, special stains, immunohistochemistry results, and a final histopathological diagnosis. In dermatopathology, report sections typically follow a standardised format: clinical information, macroscopic description, microscopic description, and conclusion/diagnosis. Editors working on these documents must handle technical terminology precisely, ensure diagnosis lines are formatted consistently (often in bold or a separate 'Diagnosis' field), and verify that eponymic diagnoses are correctly capitalised (e.g., Bowen's disease, Paget's disease). Synoptic biopsy reports for melanoma follow additional structured data-set templates.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from a cytology report (which examines individual cells, not tissue architecture). Ensure eponymous diagnoses retain their capitalisation (e.g., Bowen's disease). Synoptic melanoma reports follow the RCPA or CAP structured reporting dataset.
In Context
- "The biopsy report confirmed moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with clear lateral margins." — Histopathology document
- "The editor reviewed the biopsy report template to ensure the 'Diagnosis' heading was consistently bolded and separated from the 'Microscopy' section." — Document formatting task