Podiatric pathology is the process of studying disease in tissues of the lower leg, including the nail unit, skin, soft tissue and bone. A variety of special stains aid in the diagnosis of fungal infections. Fungal and bacterial speciation by culture and PCR guides the treatment of onychomycosis, abscesses and other suspected infections. Immunohistochemistry stains allow for the diagnosis of potentially fatal neoplasms such as melanoma and soft tissue tumors.
