Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias

Background: Scalp biopsy provides worthwhile diagnostic clues to diagnose the noncicatricial or cicatricial type of alopecia. Although a pair of vertically and horizontally sectioned pathology samples would be ideal, the diagnostic yield of vertical (V) or transverse (T) sectioning in different type...

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Main Authors: Kambiz Kamyab-Hesari, Nessa Aghazadeh, Pedram Nourmohammad-pour, Alireza Ghanadan, Azita Nikoo, Fatameh Gholamali, Mommad-Javad Nazemi, Ziba Rahbar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-03-01
Series:Dermatologica Sinica
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1027811717302240
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author Kambiz Kamyab-Hesari
Nessa Aghazadeh
Pedram Nourmohammad-pour
Alireza Ghanadan
Azita Nikoo
Fatameh Gholamali
Mommad-Javad Nazemi
Ziba Rahbar
author_facet Kambiz Kamyab-Hesari
Nessa Aghazadeh
Pedram Nourmohammad-pour
Alireza Ghanadan
Azita Nikoo
Fatameh Gholamali
Mommad-Javad Nazemi
Ziba Rahbar
author_sort Kambiz Kamyab-Hesari
collection DOAJ
description Background: Scalp biopsy provides worthwhile diagnostic clues to diagnose the noncicatricial or cicatricial type of alopecia. Although a pair of vertically and horizontally sectioned pathology samples would be ideal, the diagnostic yield of vertical (V) or transverse (T) sectioning in different types of cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecia is not studied. Also, when a single biopsy is submitted and/or the sample is not large enough for a combined V and T sectioning from a single specimen (such as HoVert technique), the decision to make the most appropriate sectioning would be challenging, specifically depending on the type of alopecia suspected clinically. Methods: A prospective study included 194 patients with two 4 mm-punch biopsies, one was sectioned vertically and the other horizontally. The V and T diagnoses were compared with the final diagnosis. The kappa coefficient of agreement, sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio (LR), diagnostic odd ratio (DOR) and concordance were estimated. Results: The most common types of alopecia were lichen planopilaris (62, 31%), androgenic alopecia (36, 18%) and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (26, 13%). The perifollicular inflammatory cell types, presence of pigmented cast and sebaceous hyperplasia were adequately detected in the in T (p < .001). The subcutaneous inflammation was better detected in V (p < .001). The T revealed higher diagnostic accuracy compared with V especially for noncicatricial alopecia (DOR, 157.5 vs. 21.2, p < .001). Conclusions: The accurate diagnosis of alopecia requires both vertical and transverse section examination. Techniques providing both horizontal and vertical sections may be best suited for this indication. However, when expertise in such novel techniques are lacking, the higher diagnostic accuracy for T section justifies using T section for noncicatricial alopecia, if patient consented for single biopsy.
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spelling doaj.art-e0d44895e5754a73aeacdd196dbc38e62022-12-22T02:59:16ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsDermatologica Sinica1027-81172018-03-01361303510.1016/j.dsi.2017.08.008Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopeciasKambiz Kamyab-Hesari0Nessa Aghazadeh1Pedram Nourmohammad-pour2Alireza Ghanadan3Azita Nikoo4Fatameh Gholamali5Mommad-Javad Nazemi6Ziba Rahbar7Dermatopathology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDermatology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IranDermatology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IranDermatopathology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDermatopathology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDermatology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IranDermatology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IranDermatology Department, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, IranBackground: Scalp biopsy provides worthwhile diagnostic clues to diagnose the noncicatricial or cicatricial type of alopecia. Although a pair of vertically and horizontally sectioned pathology samples would be ideal, the diagnostic yield of vertical (V) or transverse (T) sectioning in different types of cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecia is not studied. Also, when a single biopsy is submitted and/or the sample is not large enough for a combined V and T sectioning from a single specimen (such as HoVert technique), the decision to make the most appropriate sectioning would be challenging, specifically depending on the type of alopecia suspected clinically. Methods: A prospective study included 194 patients with two 4 mm-punch biopsies, one was sectioned vertically and the other horizontally. The V and T diagnoses were compared with the final diagnosis. The kappa coefficient of agreement, sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio (LR), diagnostic odd ratio (DOR) and concordance were estimated. Results: The most common types of alopecia were lichen planopilaris (62, 31%), androgenic alopecia (36, 18%) and central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (26, 13%). The perifollicular inflammatory cell types, presence of pigmented cast and sebaceous hyperplasia were adequately detected in the in T (p < .001). The subcutaneous inflammation was better detected in V (p < .001). The T revealed higher diagnostic accuracy compared with V especially for noncicatricial alopecia (DOR, 157.5 vs. 21.2, p < .001). Conclusions: The accurate diagnosis of alopecia requires both vertical and transverse section examination. Techniques providing both horizontal and vertical sections may be best suited for this indication. However, when expertise in such novel techniques are lacking, the higher diagnostic accuracy for T section justifies using T section for noncicatricial alopecia, if patient consented for single biopsy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1027811717302240AlopeciaCicatricialNon-cicatricialBiopsyDiagnostic accuracy
spellingShingle Kambiz Kamyab-Hesari
Nessa Aghazadeh
Pedram Nourmohammad-pour
Alireza Ghanadan
Azita Nikoo
Fatameh Gholamali
Mommad-Javad Nazemi
Ziba Rahbar
Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
Dermatologica Sinica
Alopecia
Cicatricial
Non-cicatricial
Biopsy
Diagnostic accuracy
title Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
title_full Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
title_fullStr Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
title_full_unstemmed Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
title_short Diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non-cicatricial alopecias
title_sort diagnostic accuracy measures for vertical and transverse scalp biopsies in cicatricial and non cicatricial alopecias
topic Alopecia
Cicatricial
Non-cicatricial
Biopsy
Diagnostic accuracy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1027811717302240
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