HISTOPATHOLOGY – study of tissues and/or
cells, branch of pathology.
SOURCES OF SPECIMEN (AEI)
1. AUTOPSY – tissues and organs are sent
HISTOTECHNOLGY – science concerned in
for
preparing and processing tissue for
detection and treatment of tissue
for
2. EXCISIONAL BIOPSY – entire tumor or
lesions are sent for examination and
HISTOTECHNOLOGIST – lab technologist
specimens.
diseases
advancement of medicine.
abnormalities.
that specializes in the prep of tissue
studying
diagnosis by pathologists.
3.
INCISIONAL
BIOPSY
–
small
tissue
samples taken from lesions or tumors
before their complete removal for
ROLE OF MEDTECH IN HISTOPATH (EPRS)
diagnosis.
1. Equipment and reagent maintenance.
2. Prep of specimen.
TYPES OF HISTOLOGICAL PREP (STW)
3. Record keeping.
1. SMEARS – for cyto technique made from
4. Specimen preservation, labeling, logging
blood, bone marrow and other body
and ID.
fluids
- fixed in alcohol to preserve cell
SPECIMEN COLLECTION (AIST)
structures and stained.
1. All tissue should be placed in fixative ASAP
- example: fine needle aspiration
after removal from the body.
cytology. (FNAC)
2. If you cannot add fixative promptly,
2. TISSUE SECTION – majority of prep.
specimen should be moist with sterile saline
Thickness – 3-5 mm. 4-6 micron thick
in a sterile basin or wrapped it in saline-
cut on microtome.
dampened sponges.
3. WHOLE MOUNT – prep of entire animal
3. Submit fresh specimens to the pathology
or organism. Thickness: 0.2-0.5 mm.
dept. promptly, along with any special testing
Example: fungus, parasite
or processing instructions.
4. Transport specimens to the lab right after
RECEIVING AND HANDLING (CDLOR)
collection. If not, refrigerate until they can be
-Check condition of specimen
taken to the lab.
-Designate accession number
-Label and requisition form must match
HISTOLOGICAL CONTAINER (ILNRU)
-Observe universal precaution (PPE)
1. Impermeable
-Record the specimen data on a log book.
2. Leak proof
3. Non-reactive to fixative solutions
4. Rigid and unbreakable.
REQUISITION FORM
d. Proper ventilation to ensure adequate air
1. Patients name, hospital ID, dob, gender
circulation around containers and prevent the
2. Name, address of physician or lab
build-up of noxious vapors.
requesting the test.
3. Name of a person receiving the specimen,
MAILING OF SPECIMEN
date and time.
-Keep specimens at the right temperature to
4. Tests ad tests to be performed.
avoid getting too hot or freezing, which could
5. Procedure performed.
damage them.
6. Specimen: if specimens are collected in one
-They should be packed correctly and
procedure, each should be labelled with
labelled with information about what they are
specific anatomical site or specimen type for
and where they are sent.
proper ID.
-Keep a record of all specimen on a form or
7. Date and time of procedure or specimen
log about: where they were collected, patient,
collection.
specimen number, specimen, reason for
8. Clinical history – additional info relevant for
delivery to Pathology dept.
specific test to ensure accurate and timely
-Courier
testing
established.
and
reporting
results,
including
service
policies
should
be
interpretation if required.
POST ANALYTICAL (SPECIMEN RETENTION)
REJECTION CRITERIA (IIUUW)
Material/record – Period of retention
1. Incomplete patient info.
Surgical Pathology
2.
Insufficient
volume
of
fixative
or
-Wet tissue – 2 weeks after final report
inappropriate fixative.
-Paraffin blocks – 10 years
3. Unlabeled container.
-Tissue slide – 10 years
4. Unsuitable container
-Surgical pathology report – 10 years
5.
Wrong
patient
info
(name,
site
of
collection, identifier)
-Accession logbook – 2 years
Cytology
-Slides (- or +) – 5 years
A surgical pathology suite should have
-FNAC Slides – 10 years
adequate space for organized specimen
-Cytology report – 10 years.
storage after accessioning including:
Non-forensic Autopsy
-Wet slides – 3 months after final report
a. Space for containers and their paper work.
-Paraffin block – 10 years
b. A clean clutter-free, well-ventilated storage
-Tissue slide – 10 years
area.
-Autopsy report – 10 years
c. Sealed containers to prevent spillage,
fixative loss, and specimen drying.
Forensic Autopsy
d. Touch prep – freshly cut tissue is
-Wet stock tissue – 1 year
brought into contact and
-Body fluids for toxicology – 1 year
pressed on the surface of a
-Accession log and gross photograph (-) –
clean glass slide.
indefinitely
-Paraffin
4. Frozen Section – used in rapid tissue
blocks,
slides
and
reports
–
examination (cryostat procedure).
indefinitely
-Hardened
by freezing,
-DNA analysis – indefinitely
frozen, and stained.
cut
TISSUE PROCESSING TECHNIQUE
ROUTINE TISSUE PROCESSING
Histopathologic technique
FIXATION - alteration of tissues by stabilizing
Tissue can be examined in fresh state and
protein
to
prevent
preserved state.
decomposition and tissue distortion.
-fixative
degeneration,
brings
about
proteins
which
METHOD OF FRESH TISSUE EXAMINATION
crosslinking
1. Teasing/dissociation – use of isotonic
produces denaturation or coagulation
solution.
of
of proteins.
2. Squash prep (crush) – less than 1mm in
-most critical step in histotechnology.
diameter of tissue is compressed
between 2 slides.
AIMS OF FIXATIVE
3. Smear prep – useful in cytological
-Primary aim - To preserve the tissue
examination.
in
a. Streaking – directly and gently
possible.
applied in a zigzag motion.
b. Spreading – gently spread in slide
into a moderately thick film.
as
life
like
manner
as
-Secondary aim - Hardening and
solidification. To protect from
trauma or further handling.
-too long than streaking
-suitable
for
sputum,
bronchial aspirates.
ACTION OF FIXATIVE
-Preserve tissue
c. Pull apart – drop of secretion or
-Prevent
sediment upon 1 slide and
elements.
facing it to another slide.
-Coagulate
-2 slides are pulled apart
-Suitable for fluid,
sputum,
GIT
and blood prep
secretion
breakdown
or
protoplasmic substances.
of
cellular
precipitate
Main factors involved in fixation