Dermatopathology - 74

In any histopathology department, cutaneous biopsies form the major part of the workload.

In many instances these may be readily dealt with by experienced pathologists and their documentation represents an essential step in organising therapy.

However, in a number of areas dramatic changes have occurred in dermatopathology.

The rapidly changing incidence of pigmented lesions of the skin and the availability of diagnostic cell markers in the complex cutaneous lymphomas have meant that for many pathologists a review in these fields will be valu­ able.

The distribution and pattern of skin pigmentation may allow us to make important assertions and draw importantconclusions about the genetics of skin disease, but also about human variability.

Cutane­ ous vasculitis is a difficult problem where clinicopathological consulta­ tion is vital in diagnosis and the review presented has been written with this verymuch in mind.

In the same way, many diagnostic difficul­ ties exist in assessing buttous lesions in the skin and for this reason a review was invited.

Finally, our understanding of certain skin diseases has been radical­ ly altered by knowledge of the dynamics of the changes seen, a field which has also beenstudied with advantage inother systemsin patholo­ gy.

This volume is intended as an aide to those many pathologists and dermatologists who, often together, are responsible for the pro­ vision of clinical care in this demanding field.

London C. L. BERRY Contents Melanoma and Other Melanocytic Skin Lesions.

With 8 Figures D. WEEDON . Cutaneous Vasculitis.