SDPA Fall 2018 | Biopsy Techniques: Getting the Most Out of Your Specimens

On the 3rd day of the 16th Annual Fall Dermatology Conference, Dr. Daniel Miller from the University of Minnesota Medical Center, presented a clinically relevant lecture on Biopsy Techniques: Getting the Most Out of Your Specimens. He started his lecture by highlighting that more than 2.2 million cutaneous biopsies are performed annually and that the skin biopsy is one of the most cost-effective tests in medicine.

Some of the key points from his presentation included:
• Know your dermatopathologist
• Know which type of biopsy is right for the clinical situation
• No single method is best
• Pitfalls include superficial shave biopsies
• Make sure pathologists know if a lesion is recurrent (or is being biopsied again) as nevi in scars can strongly mimic melanoma
• Good communication with your dermatopathologist is critical to prevent medical errors
• 4mm punch biopsy is often first choice for inflammatory skin diseases
• Direct immunofluorescent (DIF) biopsies should be done within 1 cm of a bulla

At the conclusion of his lecture, Dr. Miller hosted a Q & A for attendees.