lesionskarakterisering

Lesionskarakterisering (Swedish for lesion characterization) is the systematic process of describing and interpreting abnormal tissue or imaging findings to determine their nature, origin, and clinical significance. It is applied across medical specialties, including dermatology, radiology, pathology, and gastroenterology, to support diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning.

Characterization relies on multiple data sources. Clinical examination and patient history guide initial assessment, while specialized techniques provide deeper detail: dermoscopy for skin lesions, endoscopy for mucosal abnormalities, and various imaging modalities such as ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography. Tissue analysis through histopathology and immunohistochemistry, and increasingly molecular profiling and biomarker assays, offer microscopic and molecular information that refine interpretation.

Key descriptors include location, size, shape, borders, color, surface features, texture, elevation or depression, symmetry, and growth rate. Imaging describes attenuation or signal characteristics, enhancement patterns, diffusion properties, and perfusion. Histology adds cellularity, architectural patterns, cytologic atypia, and invasion. Descriptors are combined within structured reporting and, when available, standardized lexicons to support consistency.

Applications and workflow typically involve risk stratification to determine the need for biopsy or targeted sampling, integration of multimodal data, and generation of a diagnostic and management plan. Proper documentation aids communication, influences treatment decisions (such as surgical margins, radiotherapy, or targeted therapies), and guides follow-up strategies.

Challenges include overlapping features among benign and malignant lesions, rarity of certain lesions, sampling limitations, and interobserver variability. Advances in standardized reporting, digital atlases, and artificial intelligence seek to improve accuracy, reproducibility, and clinical usefulness of lesionskarakterisering.