Histopathology is also commonly referred to as Pathology or Biopsy report. The process involved in it is using a microscope to check any abnormalities, damages, or signs of diseases in human tissues. Histopathology is thus a combination of Histology which studies tissues, and pathology. It is conducted for the studies of diseases.
Histopathology is the biopsy of tissues, and a typical histopathology report will describe the damage to the tissue and the event of any malignancy. It describes what type of cancer is detected under the microscope.
In this post, we will look at the ways how histopathology test is conducted and what is found in such reports. It also offers details on how some results are to be interpreted clinically by a public health institution.
How is Histopathology Conducted?
Histopathology is a common medical technique used by doctors at the Institute of public health, called pathologists and the process involves examining tissues under a microscope. In the laboratory, pathologists do the following procedure:
Collecting Tissue Samples:
Medical professionals gather tissue samples using various methods such as endoscopy, colonoscopy, colposcopy, or surgical biopsies like breast biopsies.
Processing and Slicing:
Pathologists attentively process the obtained tissue by cutting it into slim sections.
Coloration and Microscopic Analysis
The sections are coloured and studied under a microscope, allowing pathologists to observe and document the intricate details of the tissue.
Decoding Health Mysteries
Histopathology is crucial in discovering various health concerns such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, uterine fibroids, cancer, and infections. Using this methodology, pathologists can precisely identify any kind of illnesses and provide helpful advice on treatment choices and handling the condition.
According to the Institute of public health, histopathology forms an integral part of medical procedures such as colonoscopy, endoscopy, colposcopy, and surgical breast biopsies, assisting in diagnosing various conditions, including colitis, uterine fibroids, Crohn’s disease, and cancer.
Frozen Sections
During surgeries, frozen sections are utilized to obtain results within a matter of 20 minutes or so. Lymph nodes and bone marrow biopsies are even performed to evaluate blood cancer, while immunohistochemistry and chromosomal studies help identify the cancer subtypes and predict outcomes. By utilizing these techniques, histopathology provides an approach for diagnosing and monitoring diseases.
Blood and Lymph Cancers
Lymph nodes are examined through biopsies to check for specific blood cancers and to detect metastases of solid tumours, like lung and breast cancer. A bone marrow biopsy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of various blood cancers.
Understanding a Histopathology Report
Histopathological reports on cancerous surgical samples can be intricate. They typically contain the following:
• A description of how the tissues in question looks.
• A diagnosis determines the condition.
• A synoptic report highlighting the main findings of the case.
• Remarks from the pathologist.
Since the reports can be challenging to comprehend, it is crucial to discuss them with a healthcare professional to understand your situation better.
Understanding and Interpreting Histopathology Report
Pathologists in public health institutions often play a crucial role in determining a patient’s prognosis when dealing with cancer cases. A prognosis predicts the chances of recovery or survival from a specific illness. Factors influencing a prognosis are disease size and severity, tumour grade, and the presence and degree of cancer spread.
Cancer grading systems may vary, but they usually involve checking out cells under a microscope to see how abnormal they are. For example, Grade 1 tumours look like normal cells, while Grade 4 tumours show way more weird stuff going on. The stranger the cells appear, the higher their grade.
It is crucial to remember that grading is not the same as staging — staging zeroes in on where the cancer is and how much it has spread throughout the body.
Sampling Techniques Other Than Histopathology
Apart from histopathology, pathologists also employ various other methods so as to determine the presence of cancer in tissues.
Molecular Techniques
Molecular techniques enable them to examine cells and tissues on a molecular level, thus focusing on proteins, receptors, and genes. To diagnose cancer types like leukemia, pathologists use a mix of techniques such as cytochemistry (observing how cells absorb specific stains), immunophenotype (identifying unique surface proteins), karyotype (detecting chromosomal alterations), and morphology (examining the appearance of cells).
Immunohistochemistry
When dealing with lymphoma and other forms of cancer, physicians frequently employ an ingenious method known as immunohistochemistry to determine the specific tumour type, predict its progression, and determine the most suitable treatment.
So, what precisely does immunohistochemistry entail? It involves a creative approach wherein specialized antibodies target specific markers found on the surface of cancer cells. These markers, referred to as “CD” or “cluster of differentiation,” hold great significance as they assist doctors in identifying the specific cancer type and offer valuable insights into its various variations.
Chromosomal Studies
Pathologists perform investigations at the molecular and chromosomal levels, examining genetic mutations and specific changes in chromosomes. The prognostic outcome for patients can be influenced by the presence or absence of certain genes. These alterations in genes are found in samples of cancerous tissue and can either be inherited or acquired.
Related Tests
Medical professionals in the Institute of public health can employ alternative pathology methods to determine the presence of cancer. One such creative approach involves investigating molecular techniques that scrutinize proteins, receptors, and genes, thereby facilitating the identification of various cancer subcategories. Additionally, immunohistochemistry endeavors to detect specific markers on cancer cells, thereby narrowing down the specific type of cancer any individual may be afflicted with. In conjunction, chromosomal studies delve into gene disparities to formulate an accurate prognosis.
Advances made by the International Institute of Innovation & Technology in Histopathology
The Histopathology department at I3TK is responsible for examining tissue samples at macroscopic and microscopic levels. They have various units within the department, such as Surgical Histopathology, Histochemistry, Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Research, Exfoliative cytology, FNABs, and Multiplexing. The department is equipped with advanced technologies and equipment, including an automated tissue processor, automated tissue Stainer, tissue embedding station, semi-automated microtome, digital pathology, and tissue microarray.
