Skin Biopsy Results?
 

Back in Oct of 2015 I had a punch biopsy by Therapath Labs. Below are the results confirming SFN. My Neuro doctor never explained the Microscopic section. Does anyone know what that section implies?

Thanks,
Cliffman :)

MICROSCOPIC DESCRIPTION:
A. From the sections that have been examined, there is no evidence of vasculitis or other histological
abnormalities based on the H&E stain. No amyloid is detected by the Congo Red stain. Both of these
disorders are focal and this analysis does not exclude the diagnosis.

EPIDERMAL NERVE FIBER DENSITY TEST:
Specimen Result Value ABNORMAL LOW NORMAL
A. Lt Thigh 5.91 < 6.2 6.2 - 6.8
B. Lt Calf 2.81 < 3.2 3.2 - 4.3

Hi Clifffman,

I can only explain the last part, and would have to research the other bit, though I had done so for myself...just have forgotten since. :(

"No amyloid is detected by the Congo Red stain" is just protocol with any such biopsy, but it's useless really, since a true amyloidosis biopsy would have to be from abdominal fat. If you Google this, it'll all come up. The Congo Red stain is just the stain they use to detect the amyloid proteins, that's all. Mine was negative too, but since it's not an actual test for amyloidosis, note how the analysis ends, and said disease can cause SFN, I'll likely be tested for it but via a fat pad biopsy.

I hope this helps. :)

Thanks David..it does help.

Glad to hear it. :)

I'll also add that the fat pad biopsy does not have 100% accuracy, but it's pretty good, something like 70-80%, if I recall correctly. The only way to know for sure is to biopsy the organ or organs affected, but that's much more invasive. That would given you 100% accuracy though. Probably more than you wanted to know about Amyloidosis. :D