Pathology reviews in the research context: future directions

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Medical Diagnostics
• Histopathology

Background:

• Archived pathology material reviews are common for diagnostic accuracy.
• Accuracy is affected by evolving diagnostic criteria and reproducibility errors.
• Revisions to original diagnoses are typically not disclosed without patient consent.

Discussion:

• Recent expert opinion supports full disclosure of revised diagnoses, irrespective of consent.
• Procedures for disclosure have been suggested.
• There is a need for guidelines on conducting unbiased pathology reviews.

Key Insights:

• Temporal changes and reproducibility issues limit the clinical utility of retrospective diagnostic accuracy assessments.
• Current practice restricts disclosure of diagnostic revisions, potentially impacting patient care.
• A shift towards mandatory disclosure of revised pathology diagnoses is being advocated.

Outlook:

• Developing standardized guidelines for unbiased pathology reviews is crucial.
• Implementing procedures for full disclosure of revised diagnoses will enhance patient safety.
• Future research should focus on the ethical and practical implications of mandatory diagnostic disclosure in pathology.