title: Special techniques in dermatology.
abstract: Beyond routine hematoxylin-eosin histologic examinations, specialized diagnostic techniques allow examination of biopsy material for subtle morphological and functional alterations. Morphological analytic techniques (1-micron section analysis, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray probe microanalysis, and digital image analysis) and functional analytic techniques (immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biologic techniques) are valuable diagnostic tools. These techniques have applications in evaluating cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and atypical lymphocytic infiltrates, vesiculobullous disorders, lupus erythematosus and collagen vascular diseases, vasculitis, poorly differentiated tumors, storage diseases, and infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaworsky
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D003880:Dermatology / Q000379:methods*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008853:Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*