Histological Clues in Interpreting Vulvar Infl ammatory and Autoimmune Dermatoses

This chapter will be structured in the following manner. A specifi c histological term that may provide a diagnostic clue will be precisely defi ned. Along with the histological defi nition, the clinical correlate will be described so that there is the beginning of the essential clinicopathologic correlation that is always necessary in order to make the best possible diagnosis. After presenting this information, the reader will be introduced to a brief discussion of some of the entities in which such histological changes might be observed. This presentation is not meant to be comprehensive, and certainly, not every situation in which one might encounter the histological change will be addressed. Rather, the intent is to provide a quick overview of the most common situations in which each fi nding might be identifi ed when examining tissue from the vulva. Finally, we will discuss additional features that one might consider when observing the histological change that would enable for a more precise resolution of the differential diagnosis. Histological Clues