Dermatopathology Services

A microscope looking at a skin tissue slide.

OHSU Dermatopathology provides expert dermatopathology services to support dermatologists, family practitioners, pathologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, plastic surgeons, and many other physicians with expert, accurate and efficient diagnosis of skin-related conditions and diseases. 

With the opening of our full service histopathology lab in 2011, we now provide tissue processing, slide preparation and diagnostic interpretations. In addition to routine and stat service for H & E and special stains, we provide both Direct and Indirect Immunofluorescence staining and interpretation (view full testing menu). We provide results within 24 hours for most biopsies, offer scheduled and stat courier service in the Portland area, and provide no-cost FedEx services for our out of town clients.

When you choose OHSU for your patients’ diagnoses, you choose peace of mind. You can rely on OHSU dermatopathologists to provide accurate diagnosis, the first time. Dermatopathology director, Kevin White, M.D., along with Stephanie Mengden-Koon, M.D., and Jina Chung, M.D., are board certified and fellowship trained internationally-recognized expert dermatopathologists. Lynne Morrison, M.D., is an expert immunodermatologist with over 20 years of experience.

Our providers and staff understand that time is of the essence in patient care and strive to produce expert results as efficiently as possible. With our in-house, state-of-the-art histopathology lab, we are able to reliably return a diagnosis to you within 24 hours of our receipt of the tissue for routine cases.

Send us a case
If you have a specimen that you would like to send to us for original diagnosis, please call us at 503-494-5245 to establish service. We offer routine and stat pick-up service within the entire Portland Metro and select surrounding areas and offer complimentary FedEx service for those outside of our courier area. We also provide all of the supplies you will need for sending samples. A completed requisition form, containing all necessary information, must accompany all biopsies.

Your results
Our expert diagnosis is documented in a customized and thorough report that will be delivered to you by fax, in most cases within minutes of completion. Reports can also be sent by mail or accessed online through EpicCare Link.

EpicCare Link
If you refer patients to OHSU you can get easy, online access to your patient’s medical record. With EpicCare Link, you’ll have secure, HIPAA-compliant, web-based access to OHSU’s electronic medical record - EPIC. Through EpicCare Link, you’ll have real-time access to:

  • Lab results, imaging reports, progress notes, discharges summaries, and other medical documentation
  • E-mail notification of select patient activity (e.g., ED visits, abnormal lab results, admissions)
  • Secure messaging with OHSU medical staff

EpicCare Link is available to all referring providers and their staff.
To learn more, visit the EpicCare Link page.

Insurance/billing
OHSU contracts with almost all carriers, resulting in reduced out-of-pocket expenses for your patients.

Our expert dermatopathologists provide peace of mind to hundreds of dermatologists, family practitioners, pathologists, obstetricians/gynecologists, plastic surgeons, and many other physicians with expert, accurate and reliable consultation or second opinions on complex diagnosis of skin-related conditions and diseases.

Steps to send us a slide
If you would like to have our knowledgeable dermatopathologists review a slide, please call us at 503-494-5245 to establish service. We offer routine and stat pick-up service within the entire Portland Metro and selected surrounding areas and offer complimentary FedEx service for those outside of our courier area. Please send the slide, original diagnosis report, and any other information available along with a completed requisition form.

Your results
Our expert diagnosis is documented in a customized and thorough report that will be delivered to you by fax, in most cases within minutes of completion. Reports can also be sent by mail or accessed online through EpicCare Link.

EpicCare Link
If you refer patients to OHSU you can get easy, online access to your patient’s medical record. With EpicCare Link, you’ll have secure, HIPAA-compliant, web-based access to OHSU’s electronic medical record - EPIC. Through EpicCare Link, you’ll have real-time access to:

  • Lab results, imaging reports, progress notes, discharges summaries, and other medical documentation
  • E-mail notification of select patient activity (e.g., ED visits, abnormal lab results, admissions)
  • Secure messaging with OHSU medical staff

EpicCare Link is available to all referring providers and their staff.
To learn more, visit the EpicCare Link page.

Insurance/billing
OHSU contracts with almost all carriers, resulting in reduced out-of-pocket expenses for your patients.

In 2011, OHSU Dermatology built a state-of-the-art histopathology laboratory, designed from the ground up specifically for dermatopathology services. Our laboratory enhances the expert diagnostic services that we have provided since 1979 by giving us the ability to produce a customized lab product specific to skin diagnoses. In addition, having an in-house laboratory has allowed us to decrease the time for results - now on average 18-24 hours for routine cases.

Our laboratory technicians have worked with our dermatopathologists to utilize customized methods and procedures to meet the specific requirements requested by our board certified physicians so we can ensure the highest quality product is produced every time.

Whether you choose to read and diagnose your tissue samples, or have our dermatopathologists read and report their diagnosis, our slide preparation quality is a priority. In addition to Hemotoxylin and Eosin (H & E) staining, we also offer a broad range of special stains and immunohistochemistry. Click here to view our full dermatopathology testing menu.

Steps to utilize our laboratory services
If you would like to send us a specimen for slide preparation or for original diagnosis, please call us at 503-494-5245 to establish service. We offer routine and stat pick-up service within the entire Portland Metro and selected surrounding areas and offer complimentary FedEx service for those outside of our courier area. We also provide all of the supplies you will need for sending samples. A completed requisition form is needed and includes the referring physician’s name, phone and fax number, the patient demographics and insurance information and the date and site of the biopsy, including clinical context.

Your results
Our expert diagnosis is documented in a customized and thorough report that will be delivered to you by fax, in most cases within minutes of completion. Reports can also be sent by mail or accessed online through EpicCare Link.

EpicCare Link
If you refer patients to OHSU you can get easy, online access to your patient’s medical record. With EpicCare Link, you’ll have secure, HIPAA-compliant, web-based access to OHSU’s electronic medical record - EPIC. Through EpicCare Link, you’ll have real-time access to: 

  • Lab results, imaging reports, progress notes, discharges summaries, and other medical documentation 
  • E-mail notification of select patient activity (e.g., ED visits, abnormal lab results, admissions)  
  • Secure messaging with OHSU medical staff 

EpicCare Link is available to all referring providers and their staff.
To learn more, visit the EpicCare Link page.

Immunofluorescence testing
Dr. Lynne Morrison provides both direct and indirect immunofluorescence testing. For more information, please read the Immunofluorescence Testing tab.

Insurance/billing
OHSU contracts with almost all carriers, resulting in reduced out-of-pocket expenses for your patients.

Lynne Morrison, M.D. and Stephanie Mengden-Koon, M.D. provide both direct and indirect immunofluorescence testing:

Skin or mucosal specimens for testing must be sent in Michel's Transport Medium and accompanied by a requisition form. Both the form and the transport medium will be provided at no cost. Please send specimens to:

OHSU Department of Dermatology
Attention: Immuno Lab, Rm.5205
Mailcode CH5D
3303 SW Bond Ave
Portland, OR  97239

For more information or to start immunofluorescence referral services, contact the OHSU Dermatopathology Department at 503-494-5245 or at dermpath@ohsu.edu .

Our providers