title: Profile of usage of a reference diagnostic service on oral pathology: a 10-year evaluation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the professional and academic relevance of the Brazilian oral pathology diagnostic laboratories, no information about their usage profile is available in the English literature. The objective of the present study is to report data about the histopathological and immunohistochemical exams performed in a Brazilian regional reference laboratory of oral pathology, as well as its main users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information about all histopathological exams performed between 2002 and 2012 was retrieved from the files of the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Service of the School of Dentistry of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Data collected included: 1) requestor of exam; 2) diagnosis classification; and 3) immunohistochemical tests. Descriptive statistical analyses were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13,522 histopathological exams were performed, mean 1,229/year. The Public Health System of the city of Belo Horizonte was the main requestor of exams (77.13%), followed by private professionals (19.26%), and other cities (2.03%). Most lesions were considered benign (12,599/ 93.17%), with 854 malignant lesions (6.32%). 469 immunohistochemical tests were performed; 324 (69.08%) were from benign diagnosis, and 145 (30.92%) from malignant diagnosis. The most used antibodies were against S100, vimentin, smooth muscle actin, actin muscle specific HHF-35, and pan-cytokeratin AE1/AE3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Public Health System is the major user of the diagnostic service on oral pathology in our institution. Most diagnoses were of benign lesions, although many malignant lesions were detected. Immunohistochemistry was particularly important in solving challenging cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil. karla_rachel_oliveira@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Karla Rachel
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Oliveira e Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil. allsiqueira9@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Luísa Lara
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil. pat_caldeira@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Patrícia Carlos
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Caldeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil. maurohenrique@ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: de Abreu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Surgery, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil. cassiafaster@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Cássia Ferreira
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: de Aguiar
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003954:Diagnostic Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010339:Pathology, Oral; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies