HISTOPATHOLOGIC Assisting the physician in the

preparation of microscopic

TECHNIQUES cellular structures in the diagnosis

of abnormal cellular growth
 HISTOPATHOLOGY
Combination of histology and
pathology
Also called ‘anatomic pathology’
The art and science of producing a
quality tissue section to enable the
pathologist to diagnose the presence
or absence of disease
Autopsy and biopsy specimens
 PIONEERS IN HISTOPATHOLOGY
Marie Francois Xavier Bichat
Father of histology
Johannes Peter Muller
Father of histopathology and cellular pathology
Ferdinand Blum
Proposed the use of formaldehyde as a fixative
 ROUTINE EXAMINATION
NUMBERING
Recording the tissue specimen in
a log book and assigning
identification numbers to the
received specimen

GROSS EXAMINATION
 TESTS IN ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY
Routine histopathologic Frozen section
examination
Fine needle aspiration
Breast panel
biopsy Special staining
Papanicolaou smear Immunohistochemical staining
Cytopathological Post-mortem examination
techniques: cell block,
cytospin
 ROUTINE EXAMINATION
FIXATION
Preserving the tissue specimen in as life-like a manner as possible
Routine fixative: 10% formalin

DECALCIFICATION
Removal of calcium from some tissues or organs
Routine decalcifying agent: nitric acid
 ROUTINE EXAMINATION
DEHYDRATION
Removing water from the specimen by using increasing grades of
ethyl alcohol

CLEARING
Removing excess alcohol in tissues
Makes tissues transparent
Routine clearing agent: xylene
 ROUTINE EXAMINATION
INFILTRATION
Filling up tissue spaces or
cavities with melted paraffin
wax
EMBEDDING
Placing the infiltrated tissue
inside a mold
 ROUTINE EXAMINATION
TRIMMING
Removing excess paraffin wax from
the block until it assumes the shape of
a truncated pyramid

SECTIONING
Cutting of tissue block into thin slices
called ribbons/sections using a
microtome (commonly used: rotary
microtome)
ROUTINE EXAMINATION
STAINING
Employs the use of hematoxylin and
eosin dyes to differentiate the cells and
the cell constituents
MOUNTING
Putting the cover slip on the stained
tissues using a mounting medium
ROUTINE EXAMINATION
LABELING
Specimen number is indicated on the glass slide
 FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY
To investigate superficial
masses or lumps to detect
any pathologic condition
like malignancy
Insertion of a hollow needle
into the mass for sample
collection
 PAPANICOLAOU SMEAR/PAP SMEAR
Screening for cervical cancer
and any pre-cancerous changes
in the cervix
Also done to detect STDs such
as trichomoniasis, candidiasis,
and human papillomavirus (HPV)
 CELL BLOCK
Paraffin-embedded
specimen prepared from
dried mucus, sputum, and
debris found in body
fluids
 CYTOSPIN

To concentrate cells
on a slide in a
uniform monolayer
using a high-speed
centrifuge
FROZEN SECTION
Performed when an immediate or rapid microscopic
analysis of specimen is needed
Cryostat
BREAST PANEL
Biomarkers important in the genetic testing for
breast cancer
Estrogen receptor
Progesterone receptor
Her2-neu
P-53
DNA ploidy analysis
 HISTOCHEMISTRY
Uses special stains to
determine the chemical
compounds and their
distribution within and in
between the biological
cells of the body
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STAINING
Detecting antigens in the cells of tissue sections by
using antibodies
POST-MORTEM EXAMINATION/AUTOPSY
Thorough examination of
a dead body to
determine the cause of
death, manner of death,
and to evaluate any
disease or injury that
may have been present