9 Tips to Help Prevent Derm Biopsy Mistakes

1. CHOOSE YOUR BIOPSY TYPE WISELY
Using the appropriate type of biopsy can have the greatest effect on a proper diagnosis. The decision of which biopsy type to use is not always easy. The most common biopsy types are shave, punch, excisional, and curettage. Several reference articles detail each type of biopsy commonly used in primary care and how to perform them.^1,2

Each type of biopsy has inherent advantages and disadvantages. In general, the shave biopsy is most commonly used for lesions that are solitary and elevated and give the impression that a sufficient amount of tissue can be sampled with this technique. The punch biopsy is the best choice for most “rashes” (inflammatory skin disorders).² Excisional biopsy is used to remove melanocytic neoplasms or larger lesions. And curettage, while still used by some clinicians for melanocytic lesions because of its speed and simplicity, should almost never be used for diagnostic purposes.

Each technique is described in greater detail in the tips that follow.

Continue for tip #2 >>