Histopathology & Cytopathology

Question 1

What are histopathologists interested in?

Answer 1

Tissues

Question 2

What are cytopatholgists interested in?

Answer 2

Cells

Question 3

4 types of areas that histopathologists can use?

Answer 3

1. Biopsies
2. Resection specimens
3. Frozen sections
4. Post-mortems

Question 4

Biopsies?

Answer 4

Histopathologists

Can inspect for:
o is it normal?
o is it inflamed? if so why?
o is it cancer? what type?

2-3 DAY turnaround

Question 5

Rescetion specimens?

Answer 5

Histopathologists

Can inspect for:
o how far has cancer spread? is it all out?

5-7 DAY turnaround

Question 6

Frozen section?

Answer 6

Histopathologists

RAPID diagnosis i.e. during surgery
o is it cancer?
o is it all out?
o is there something else going on?

30 MINUTE TURNAROUND
o allows for DURING cancer excision surgery

Question 7

Post-mortems?

Answer 7

Histopathologists

Hospital post-mortems:
o family GIVE permission as they request it

Coroner’s post-mortem:
o STATE-ordered
o NO family permission required

Question 8

How are sections obtained?

Answer 8

1. Fixed in FORMALIN
2. Embedded in PARAFFIN WAX
3. Thin sections cut

Question 9

How are the sections used?

Answer 9

o can STAIN then

o can IDENTIFY specific ANTIGENS using antibodies
i.e. immunohistochemistry

o can carry our MOLECULAR TESTS

Question 10

How can cytopathologists obtain their areas?

Answer 10

1. SMEARS e.g. cervical screening

2. FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATIONS (FNA)

Question 11

Kaposi’s sarcoma?

Answer 11

HIV/AIDS defining disease!

VASCULAR tumour
o lesion composed of proliferating blood vessels
o immunocytochemistry for CD31 shows vascular tumours infiltrating collagen bundles

Question 12

How can FNA be used to diagnose lymphadenopathy?

Answer 12

FNA of one of the enlarged nodes reveals a mixed cell population

= REACTIVE lymphadenopathy (benign hyperactive lymph node)