Psoriasis other diagnostic studies

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Syed Hassan A. Kazmi BSc, MD [2]

Overview

Skin biopsy may be helpful in the diagnosis of psoriasis. Common findings include perivascular and dermal inflammatory cell infiltration, vascular dilation, and absent granular layer.

Other Diagnostic Studies

Skin Biopsy

Skin biopsy may be helpful in the diagnosis of psoriasis. On an hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain, the following findings may be observed:^[1]

Perivascular and dermal inflammatory cell infiltration
Vascular dilation
Absent granular layer
Elongation of dermal papillae
Parakeratosis
Spongiform pustules of Kogoj (pathognomic of psoriasis)
Munro’s micro abscesses (pathognomic of psoriasis)
Edema of dermal papillae
In psoriasis, skin biopsy of the affected area of skin shows that the epidermal/suprapapillary thickness ratio is increased
Basal cell layer is expanded

References

↑ Werner B, Bresch M, Brenner FM, Lima HC (2008). “Comparative study of histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in skin biopsies from patients with psoriasis before and after treatment with acitretin”. J. Cutan. Pathol. 35 (3): 302–10. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00800.x. PMID 18251745.

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[pmid18251745-1] Werner B, Bresch M, Brenner FM, Lima HC (2008). “Comparative study of histopathological and immunohistochemical findings in skin biopsies from patients with psoriasis before and after treatment with acitretin”. J. Cutan. Pathol. 35 (3): 302–10. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0560.2007.00800.x. PMID 18251745.

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