The diagnostic challenges of separating chronic ulcerative stomatitis from oral lichen planus.

OBJECTIVE

To attempt to establish criteria to differentiate between chronic ulcerative stomatitis (CUS) and oral lichen planus (OLP) with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining alone.

STUDY

DESIGN

Ten confirmed cases of CUS were reviewed from the Stomatology Clinic at the Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry.

RESULTS

The original diagnosis on H&E evaluation was OLP, chronic mucositis, or mucositis with lichenoid features, but subsequent direct immunofluorescence (DIF) revealed a positive speckled intranuclear deposition of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the basal and parabasal layers of the epithelium, confirming a diagnosis of CUS.

CONCLUSIONS

No consistent histopathologic features were present that would allow recognition of CUS from H&E analysis alone. DIF remains the gold standard for diagnosis.