Article (Scientific journals)
Inter-observer variation in the histopathological diagnosis of clinically suspicious pigmented skin lesions.
Brochez, Lieve; Verhaeghe, Evelien; Grosshans, Edouard et al.
2002In Journal of Pathology, 196 (4), p. 459-66
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
 

Files


Full Text
INTER OBSERVER.pdf
Publisher postprint (114.03 kB)
Download

Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
Biopsy; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Melanoma/diagnosis/pathology; Nevus, Pigmented/diagnosis; Observer Variation; Predictive Value of Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; Skin Neoplasms/diagnosis/pathology
Abstract :
[en] When a biopsy is taken of a suspicious pigmented skin lesion, histological examination is expected to establish the definitive diagnosis. This study evaluated the inter-observer variation of 20 pathologists in the histological diagnosis of a randomly selected set of suspicious pigmented skin lesions (PSLs), by comparing their diagnoses to a reference diagnosis. Overall sensitivity for melanoma was 87%, ranging from 55% to 100% between the observers. Sensitivity was significantly lower for thin (Breslow thickness <1 mm) than for thick melanomas (83% versus 97%, p=0.005). Overall melanoma specificity was 94%, ranging from 83% to 100% between observers. Dysplastic naevus was the most important source of false-positive diagnoses, mainly in situ melanomas. Positive and negative predictive values in the given test set were 75% and 97%, respectively. In the case of melanoma, there was quite some variation in measured Breslow thickness. This would have led to a different therapeutic approach in 12% of the readings. Some of the variation seemed to be due to a different interpretation of the presence of a co-existent naevus. In 9% (3/35) of the readings, participants did not agree on the presence of ulceration. These results reflect a tendency to overdiagnose mainly thin melanomas in general histopathological practice. They also demonstrate variation in the assessment of major prognostic factors of melanoma.
Disciplines :
Dermatology
Author, co-author :
Brochez, Lieve;  University Hospital of Ghent > Dermatology
Verhaeghe, Evelien;  University Hospital of Ghent > Dermatology
Grosshans, Edouard
Haneke, Eckhart
Pierard, Gérald ;  Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Dermatopathologie
Ruiter, Dirk
Naeyaert, Jean-Marie
Language :
English
Title :
Inter-observer variation in the histopathological diagnosis of clinically suspicious pigmented skin lesions.
Publication date :
2002
Journal title :
Journal of Pathology
ISSN :
0022-3417
eISSN :
1096-9896
Publisher :
John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Chichester, United Kingdom
Volume :
196
Issue :
4
Pages :
459-66
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Available on ORBi :
since 16 March 2009

Statistics


Number of views
101 (0 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
342 (1 by ULiège)

Scopus citations®
 
121
Scopus citations®
without self-citations
116
OpenCitations
 
106

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi