Extreme winter weather: A force to be remembered in dermatopathology

J Cutan Pathol. 2021 Sep;48(9):1204-1207. doi: 10.1111/cup.14064. Epub 2021 Jun 27.

Abstract

It is important for the dermatopathologist to be adept in differentiating tissue artifacts from normal tissue variants and pathologies. Numerous tissue artifacts have been described to date; however, once we are familiar with the common artifacts that appear in our practice, we may not immediately recognize other confounders. For example, dermatopathologists in more temperate regions of the country may not be familiar with freezing artifact. In this case series, we present three common diagnoses in dermatopathology that were obscured by the extreme winter weather that severely impacted the Southern United States in February 2021 and discuss methods to prevent these artifacts.

Keywords: dermatopathology; freezing adverse effects; histopathological artifacts; skin.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Artifacts
  • Biopsy, Needle / methods
  • Carcinoma, Basal Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Basal Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Dermatology / standards*
  • Dermatology / statistics & numerical data
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors / prevention & control*
  • Diagnostic Errors / statistics & numerical data
  • Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / diagnosis
  • Dysplastic Nevus Syndrome / pathology
  • Extreme Weather
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Keratosis, Seborrheic / diagnosis
  • Keratosis, Seborrheic / pathology
  • Nevus, Pigmented / diagnosis
  • Nevus, Pigmented / pathology
  • Pathology / standards*
  • Pathology / statistics & numerical data
  • Pemphigoid, Bullous / diagnosis
  • Pemphigoid, Bullous / pathology
  • Seasons
  • Skin / pathology*