Eyelid tumors: accuracy of clinical diagnosis.

PURPOSE

To determine the accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the clinical diagnosis of malignant tumor of the eyelid.

METHOD

Analysis of consecutively submitted biopsy specimens of the eyelid for 1 year to a regional ophthalmic pathology laboratory.

RESULTS

Agreement was noted between clinical and histopathologic diagnoses on 72 (84%) of 86 eyelid biopsy specimens received over 12 months. Ten (11.6%) clinical diagnoses of suspected malignant eyelid tumor showed benign skin conditions, and four (4.6%) clinical diagnoses of presumed benign conditions proved to be malignant.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical assessment of eyelid malignancy by ophthalmologists is reasonably good when evaluated in terms of sensitivity (87.5%) and specificity (81.5%) of diagnosis. Lesions giving rise to the false-negative diagnosis of malignancy tend to be nodules with unremarkable surface features.