Iatrogenic tattoo

An iatrogenic tattoo is a marking placed a physician or surgeon. It is typically done in the context of a lesion - such that the lesion can be easily re-identified at a later time.

General

• Iatrogenic tattoos are commonly seen in the context of polypectomy scars. Unfortunately, endoscopists are not good at documenting them; a study from 2021 found 67% of the time the location of the tattoo is not documented.
• In the colon, tattoos are most often distal to the feature of interest.

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Negative colon with tattoo location and possible scar

Comment:
The colonoscopy report notes that an iatrogenic tattoo was placed distal to the lesion. The possible scar was found proximal to the tattoo.

Negative colon without tattoo location and scar

Comment:
The scar was submitted in total.  The location of the scar in relation to the tattoo is documented within the gross. 

It would be useful to confirm that: the location of lesion (that prompted the resection) in relation to the tattoo is the same as the relationship between scar and the tattoo.  

See also

• Polypectomy scar.
• Tattoo.