OVERVIEW:
WHAT IS A FROZEN SECTION?
HISTOPATHOLOGY: Is the microscopic examination of tissues to observe the appearance of diseased cells and tissues in very fine detail.
GROSS EXAMINATION: In medicine “gross means” looking at a sample without using a microscope. A pathologist grossly checks the specimen by simply checking the specimen.
For small biopsies, such as punch biopsy or a core needle biopsy, the entire specimen is looked under the microscope.
Scraping cells: Removing cells from the surface layer of tissue
Needle biopsy: A special hollow needle, guided by ultrasound or CT scanning, is used to obtain tissue from an organ or the tissue beneath the skin
Excisional biopsy: A type of biopsy where surgery is done to remove a larger piece of tissue
The container is labeled with the patient's name and other details.
WHAT DOES THE TEST MEASURE?
Histology is the study of tissues and pathology is the study of disease. The tissue that is studied comes from a biopsy is then sent to the laboratory. It is then processed and cut into very thin layers called sections, stained and examined under the microscope to characterize the details of the cells in the tissues.
The histopathological report contains the diagnosis determined by examining cells and tissues under a microscope. The report may also contain information about the shape, size, and appearance of a specimen.
INTERPRETATION OF THE REPORT:
Findings from the examination of the tissues are linked to the prognosis. Prognostic indicators may include tumor grade and extent of spread. Grading systems differ depending on the kind of cancer being graded, but generally, the cells are scored based on how abnormal they appear under the microscope, with Grade 1 tumors being more normal looking and Grade 4 tumors reflecting more abnormalities. Grading is not the same as staging. Staging has more to do with where the cancer is found in the body and how far it has spread.