Publication:

Correlation of clinical and histopathological diagnoses of oral mucosal lesions at tertiary care centre: a retrospective study

Background The objective of the study was to study the correlation between clinical and histopathological diagnoses of oral lesions.

Methods Data of all patients attending the department of Dermatology KEM Hospital, Mumbai with oral mucosal lesions who underwent biopsy for histopathological examination in a duration of one year was included in this retrospective study. Their clinical and histopathological diagnoses were correlated and data was analysed.

Results A data of total of 164 patients was included in study. Out of the clinically diagnosed, histopathological correlation was found to be 66.66% for oral leucoplakia, 81.25% for lichen planus, 72% for squamous cell carcinoma, 88% for pemphigus vulgaris and 75% for submucosal fibrosis. Overall correlation found was 75.60%.

Conclusions Histopathological examination of oral mucosal lesion is very important to arrive at the accurate diagnosis and to plan definitive treatment. Histopathological examination of oral mucosal lesions must be done routinely because wide variety of conditions present with similar morphologic features and can be the initial signs of many skin disorders.