Histopathology and cytopathology

Question 1

What is histopathology?

Answer 1

Preperation and examination of tissue sections

Question 2

What is cytopathology?

Answer 2

Examination of individual cells

Question 3

What situations would require the use of histo and cytopathology as a diagnostic method?

Answer 3

Tissue diagnosis e.g. cancer spread and staging

Question 4

What are the main steps in processing a specimen?

Answer 4

Label properly
Fix in formalin
Embed in paraffin wax
Cut sections
Stain e.g. gram staining, Ziehl–Neelsen stain

Question 5

What type of specimens might be tested?

Answer 5

Histopathlogy
1) Biopsies of tumors
2) resection specimens 
3) frozen sections
Cytopathology
1) Smears -HPV screening
2) Fine needle aspirates

Question 6

When might frozen section diagnosis be required?

Answer 6

To tell if all of a tumor is removed
To tell if something is cancerous
To identify abnormalities during another operation and deal with them if needs be e.g. c-sections often find abnormalities that need to be tested.

Question 7

What are the advantages of frozen section diagnosis?

Answer 7

Rapid diagnosis 20-30 mins

Can prevent multiple surgeries and fully remove tumor/deal with a problem quickly.

Question 8

What are resection specimines?

Answer 8

Taking out large sections of organs to look at cancer’s interaction with blood vessels and other structures.

Question 9

What are frozen sections?

Answer 9

Sample sent to a lab during an operation.

Frozen, sliced, stained and examined ASAP

Question 10

What are fine needle aspirates?

Answer 10

Usually fluids e.g. from a lump in the neck. Can take soild samples and suspend them in liquid.
Used for cytology

Question 11

What can immunohistochemistry reveal?

Answer 11

Markers for lymphocytes breast cells vessels.