5 Major Services Available At A Pathology Lab

By Author: Deepak Hegde
Total Articles: 16
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A pathology lab is defined as a medical specialty centre where pathologists and technicians conduct tests and diagnosis of a disease,along with the laboratory examination of bodily fluids, like urine and blood as well as tissues, while using apparatus of clinical microbiology, molecular pathology, hematology and chemistry. Lab pathologists work in close liaison with hospital administrations, medical technologists and referring physicians.

In pathology laboratories, the pathologists administer a range of microscopic and visual tests and particularly an overwhelming variety of examinations of the biophysical properties of tissue samples, which involve cultures and automated analyzers. Five major services that pathology laboratories offer in general are:

1.Anatomical Pathology

Anatomical pathology, is fundamentally concerned with the analysis of illness based on the microscopic, gross, immunologic, chemical as well as molecular examination of tissues, organs and complete bodies (meaning general diagnosis or an autopsy). Anatomical pathology is further divided into other categories, of which the major divisions ...
... are surgical pathology, forensic pathology and cytopathology.

2.Cytopathology

Cytopathology, also known as “cytology”, as mentioned above is a branch of pathology which examines and diagnoses medical conditions on the cellular level. This is used most of the times to aid in the examination of cancer, in addition to other infectious diseases as well as inflammatory ailments. A diagnostic laboratory that performscytopathology also uses it for the diagnosis of such diseases as thyroid lesions and sterile cavities (pleural, peritoneal and cerebrospinal) in the body. The study is mostly conducted on samples of tissue fragments or free cells.

3.Forensic Pathology

The aim of forensic pathology is to determine the cause of death through post-mortem study of partial remains or a corpse. An autopsy, in general, is performed either by a medical examiner or coroner; more often than not during criminal investigations. Under this test, medical examiners and coroners are also often asked to establish the corpse’s identity. The methods used by forensic scientists to verify death comprises study of tissue specimens to recognize the absence or presence of natural disease as well as other microscopic findings, assessment of toxicology on fluids and body tissues to establish poisonings, chemical reason of overdoses and analysis of physical trauma.

4.Neuropathology

Neuropathology involves the examination of ailments of nervous system tissues, mostly in the form of surgical biopsies or even sometimes the whole brain autopsy. Neuropathology is a subdivision of anatomic pathology, neurosurgery and neurology. If an ailment of the nervous system is detected and the tests are not possible through less invasive means, then a nervous tissue biopsy is taken from the spinal cord or brain to facilitate further examination of the disease. This test is available only in selective diagnostic laboratoriesand it is preferred over traditional nerve biopsy, which is more invasive.

5.Histopathology

Histopathology is defined as a microscopic examination of different forms of human tissues. Particularly, in clinical medicine, this test is conducted for the study of a surgical specimen or biopsy by a pathologist. Histopathological study of tissues begins with surgery, autopsy or biopsy. The tissue is taken out from the body and then transferred in a fixative which stabilizes the tissues to avoid putrefaction.

Deepak Hegde is an MBBS student, studying in a Chennai-based medical college. He understands well the role that a diagnostic clinic plays, and wishes to share his information about the same. He also wants to inform you about the various services offered by a pathology lab.