Pattern of Histologically Diagnosed Scalp Lesions: A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Hospital, Northeast Nigeria

Introduction: The scalp, just like other body parts, may be affected by varieties of conditions such as infections, neoplasms and inflammation. Histopathology remains goal standard in the management of such conditions. This study aimed to present the pattern of histologically diagnosed scalp lesions in our centre. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis conducted using a 4-year record (January 2020 to January 2024) of all scalp lesions biopsied at the Department of Histopathology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. All the histology results retrieved during the review period were included. Patients’ demographic information, site of the lesion and histopathological diagnosis were extracted and recorded. Data obtained were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM-SPSS version 25). Results: A total of 58 results of histologically diagnosed scalp lesions were retrieved. There were 44 (75.9%) males and 14 (24.1%) females in the age range of 1–73 years and a mean ± standard deviation of 37.52 ± 17.90 years. The site of the scalp lesion includes: scalp 33 (56.9%), forehead 24 (41.4%) and occipital 1 (1.7%) and there was a significant difference between the site of the lesion and sex of the patient (χ 2 = 6.286, df = 2, P = 0.043). Squamous cell carcinoma 11 (19.0%) was the most common lesion. There was no difference in the category of histologic diagnosis and the location of the scalp lesion (χ 2 = 3.376, df = 4, P = 0.497). Conclusion: Scalp lesions are relatively common with more predilection in male gender and squamous cell carcinoma constitutes the most common presentation. Histopathology is paramount in the diagnosis and management of these lesions.