Concordance between clinical and histopathologic diagnoses of oral mucosal lesions.
OBJECTIVE
To study the epidemiology of oral soft tissue lesions in New Zealand from 2002 to 2006 and to determine the concordance between the clinical diagnosis and the definitive histopathologic diagnosis achieved by general dental practitioners and by specialists.


METHODS
The details from biopsy referrals and the corresponding histopathologic reports of oral soft tissue lesions were recorded into a statistical software package, and the concordance between the clinical diagnosis and histopathologic diagnosis was determined for all the lesions.


RESULTS
Most biopsies were benign lesions, and both clinician groups achieved a high diagnostic concordance for these lesions. However, when considering all lesion types, the overall concordance for both groups was a moderate 50.6%, with little difference between specialists and general dental practitioners, although specialists were more accurate in diagnosing a malignant or premalignant lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical and histopathologic concordance achieved by oral health practitioners in New Zealand appears to be moderate.
Department of Oral Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, University of Otago School of Dentistry, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Kush J
KJ
Patel
Harsha L
HL
De Silva
Darryl C
DC
Tong
Robert M
RM
Love
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007223:Infant; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008047:Lip Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009078:Mucocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D009520:New Zealand; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012466:Salivary Gland Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D013039:Specialties, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult