Lack of clinicopathologic correlation in the diagnosis of oral lichen planus based on the presently available diagnostic criteria and suggestions for modifications

Confirmation of a clinical diagnosis of oral lichen planus (OLP) by means of histopathologic study of a biopsy specimen is generally advised. However, hardly any data exist about the correlation between clinical and histopathologic diagnoses of OLP. The aim of the present investigation was to study the correlation between the clinical and histopathologic assessment of OLP, and to propose diagnostic refinements, if appropriate.

Clinical and histopathologic data of two previously published studies were used for this purpose. The number of clinical cases in which all clinicians agreed as well as the number of microscopic slides on which all reviewing pathologists agreed were calculated and compared with each other in order to assess the clinicopathologic correlation.