Audit of temporal artery biopsy reporting in South Australia

Despite histopathology playing a central role in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA), until recently, there was no guideline for reporting on temporal artery biopsies (TAB). The Society for Cardiovascular Pathology established such consensus guidelines in 2023. The aim of this audit was to assess the extent to which South Australian TAB reports aligned with the reporting guidelines, and whether reporting practices changed across time.

All SA Pathology TAB reports from 2010, 2017 and 2024 were assessed against the reporting guidelines, which contain four main areas of reporting (diagnosis, comment, gross descriptions, and microscopic descriptions (with 7 sub-points)). If all areas and microscopic descriptions were reported, the report was classified as 'complete'. Trends were examined over time, where possible using multi-level mixed-effects models to account for the reporting pathologist, with a 5% level of significance.

There were 76 TAB reports in 2010, 92 in 2017 and 126 in 2024. No reports were complete in reporting with no statistically significant change over time. The only statistically significant changes over time observed were the decreased reporting of a final diagnosis (p = 0.001), and final diagnosis comment (p = 0.004).

In South Australia, no TAB reports fully aligned with the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology reporting statement. Reporting did not improve over time, including after guideline publication. Targeted strategies are needed to standardise reporting and support better diagnostic quality and patient care.