Background: Skin biopsy is one of the most commonly used diagnostic tests in dermatology to achieve accurate and rapid diagnosis. However, it is important to incorporate detailed clinical information for histopathological evaluation. Aims: To retrospectively evaluate the quality of data entered in the histopathology request forms and biopsy reports and to investigate the consistency between clinical and pathological diagnoses in the reported biopsy specimens. Methods: A retrospective analysis of histopathology request forms and their corresponding skin biopsy reports done over a period of two years was undertaken. Details like clinical history, examination findings, biopsy site and technique, purpose of biopsy, number of differential diagnosis, microscopic description, pathologist’s diagnosis, duration of reporting and level of clinicopathological correlation were analyzed. Statistical analysis was carried out for two-tailed significance, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 456 biopsy reports were analyzed. On assessing the clinicopathological correlation, we observed a concordance rate of 70.2% and discordance rate of 29.8%. No correlation was observed between clinicopathological consistency and inadequate clinical history, inadequate examination findings and number of differential diagnosis. However, correlation was observed between clinicopathological consistency and inadequate clinical history and examination findings, when both were clubbed together. Clinicopathological consistent reports had a significantly higher rate of definitive pathologist’s diagnosis and a significantly shorter duration for issuing the histopathology reports. Conclusions: Several shortcomings were identified in the histopathology request forms during the review. Standardising the methodology of including all details in histopathology request forms would be useful.

Key words: Biopsy; Clinicopathological correlation; Consistency.