Dermatopathology: The Basics serves as an effective and efficient handbook for the student of dermatopathology, and as a practical bench reference for the practicing diagnostician who desires rapid access to criteria that are useful in differentiating histologically similar entities. The reader is able to focus upon a single histologic observation, i.e., inflammatory conditions without epidermal changes, and use this as a starting point from which to build a differential diagnosis based upon pattern recognition. As each entity is addressed, there is a concise discussion of the basic clinical findings and epidemiologic associations. This is followed by a histologic description, highlighting areas that serve to discriminate between the entity under discussion and similar ones. Any immunologic studies that might augment the diagnostic sensitivity or specificity are discussed.

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Normal Cutaneous Histology.- How to Maximize Information from a Skin Biopsy.- Special Stains in Dermatopathology.- Immunopathology in Diagnostic Dermatopathology.- Differential Diagnosis of Normal Skin.