histopathology+ cytopathology

Question 1

histopathologist vs cytopathologist

Answer 1

histo (tissue) analyse biopsies (bits of small tissues), resection specimens (organs), frozen sections and post-mortems.

cyto (cells) analyse smears or fine needle aspirates (biopsy eg of thyroid difficult, so aspiration of the cells used)

Question 2

analysing biopsies

Answer 2

if not normal, is it inflamed (what is cause): if not is it cancer (what type eg lymphoma)

Question 3

analysing resection specimens+ time comparison

Answer 3

how far has cancer spread eg in colon: if there is cancer, are the margins clear ie was cancer only in the colon ie has surgeon removed alll the tumour- takes long (a week vs 2 days for biopsy)

Question 4

analysing frozen section

Answer 4

requires rapid diagnosis as patient still in theatre- surgeon sends margin of tumour to see whether all cancer cleared: also whether there’s another type of cancer present

Question 5

how are sections obtained

Answer 5

they are fixed in FORMALIN, and embedded using PARAFFINE wax, then look under slide

Question 6

what they do with sections

Answer 6

stains eg gram stain- also do immunohistochemistry ie identifying antigens using antibodies

Question 7

kaposi’s sarcoma

Answer 7

diagnosed using a rash on skin- indicates HIV/AIDS: is a tumour of endothelial cells: diagnosed using antibodies

Question 8

analysing enlarged lymph nodes

Answer 8

take a fine needle aspiration of the enlarged node- if no pathology, diagnosis is a REACTIVE LYMPHADENOPATHY