Histopathology

Question 1

what occurs in the stage of booking in a sample?

Answer 1

specimen taken, labelled ensuring correct identity

Question 2

what occurs during fixation?

Answer 2

samples sent in formulin or frozen forms to the clinic

Question 3

in what situations would formulin not be used?

Answer 3

when it would impede studies of proteins such as if immunofluorescence needed or enzyme studies

Question 4

why does formulin impede studies of proteins?

Answer 4

forms cross-links between proteins which preserves structure but loses function

Question 5

what is an artefact?

Answer 5

any structure or feature in histological section that is not usually present in tissue

Question 6

what is the process of dissection?

Answer 6

aim to transfer pieces of tissue into cassettes

Question 7

what is the dissection process of small transfers?

Answer 7

limited or no amounts of dissection required as it is all tissue processed

Question 8

what kind of biopsies are small transfers?

Answer 8

core biopsies such as lung or breast, cervical biopsies

Question 9

what is the dissection process for intermediate specimens?

Answer 9

requires dissection and sampling, some may be represented using small representative section

Question 10

what are examples of intermediate specimens?

Answer 10

skin cancer excision, gallbladders

Question 11

what is the dissection required of a large specimen?

Answer 11

needs dissection by a consultant

Question 12

what is the purpose of processing of a sample?

Answer 12

to remove water and infiltrate with molten paraffin wax

Question 13

what reagents are used in the processing stage?

Answer 13

alcohol, xylene and molten wax

Question 14

what is the purpose of the 3 reagents used in processing?

Answer 14

alcohol removes water, xylene replaces the alcohol and the wax replaces the xylene

Question 15

what is the embedding process?

Answer 15

transferal of the tissue to a wax block

Question 16

what is important during embedding?

Answer 16

that it is placed in orientation that is best for analysis of abnormalities

Question 17

what is the microtomy process?

Answer 17

to shave a thin section from the wax block and mount onto a microscope

Question 18

how thick is the microtomy section?

Answer 18

0.003mm thick

Question 19

what machine carries out the microtomy stage?

Answer 19

microtome

Question 20

what is an advantage of embedding?

Answer 20

provides more mechanical strength for cutting

Question 21

what does haemotoxylin do?

Answer 21

it is a basic dye and so stains acidic areas such as DNA in the nucleus

Question 22

what does eosin do?

Answer 22

it is an acidic dye and so stains basic areas pink

Question 23

what is immunohistochemistry?

Answer 23

using specific antibodies to bind to antigens in specific areas of the tissue

Question 24

what stains are used in a colposcopy?

Answer 24

acetic acid which stains abnormal areas with high DNA content white, and Lugols iodine which stains normal cells brown

Question 25

what are the 2 layers of epithelial tissue present in breast?

Answer 25

myoepithelial which is contractile and luminal which is secretory

Question 26

what are the different possibilities of lumps found in the breast?

Answer 26

lipoma, fibroadenoma, carcinoma, phyllodes tumour, cyst or fat necrosis

Question 27

what is a lipoma?

Answer 27

benign proliferation of adipose cells

Question 28

what is a fibroadenoma?

Answer 28

benign tumour with epithelial and stromal involvement

Question 29

what is a phyllodes tumour?

Answer 29

on a spectrum of benign to malignant

Question 30

what is the histopathology of a breast carcinoma?

Answer 30

lose the myoepithelial layer of tissue

Question 31

how can histopathology of a breast carcinoma be analysed?

Answer 31

using a p63 antibody to stain the myoepithelial layer of tissue

Question 32

what 3 sources of information are used in diagnosis?

Answer 32

clinical (C), radiological such as an MRI (M) and pathological results including histology and cytology results (B)

Question 33

what is category B1?

Answer 33

normal tissue

Question 34

what is category B2?

Answer 34

benign lesion

Question 35

what is category B3?

Answer 35

lesion of uncertain malignant potential

Question 36

what is category B4?

Answer 36

suspicious

Question 37

what is category B5?

Answer 37

malignant