Anatomic Pathology

Anatomic pathology involves the study of tissue and disease under the microscope. A pathologist interprets the specimens. Services and procedures include:

• Bone Marrow Biopsies
• Breast Biopsies
• Cervical PAP Smear Interpretation
• CT or Ultrasound-guided Aspirations/Biopsies
• Intraoperative Consultations
• Prostate Biopsies
• Skin Biopsies

Bone Marrow Biopsies

When requested by your physician, the pathologists perform most of the bone marrow biopsies in the Same Day Surgery Department. They use conscious sedation techniques with medication to help make the procedure more comfortable.

Breast Biopsies

A breast biopsy may be sent to the lab in several forms. Two board-certified surgical pathologists review the biopsy to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis. Click here to learn more about breast biopsies.

Cervical PAP Smears

The PAP smear is a screening test, which is accurate in detecting abnormalities approximately 80 percent of the time. The possibility of a false negative study (missed abnormality) cannot be eliminated by a single PAP smear, but can be reduced by obtaining an annual PAP smear exam. We encourage the use of the new liquid base PAP smear (SurePath). All slides are prepared and read on-site by a cytotechnologist (a specialist in the microscopic detection of small group cells) and pathologist.

CT or Ultrasound-Guided Aspirations/Biopsies

Sometimes lesions or masses are deep in the body. Without surgery, they can only be reached with a needle inserted into a body cavity and guided by ultrasound or CT scan. A radiologist performs these needle biopsies on organs such as the thyroid, liver, lung and breast. The pathologists at SCMC assist the radiologists in preparing the best sample. A board-certified cytopathologist will review your case.

Intraoperative Consultations

Your surgeon may send the lab a tissue sample during surgery for rapid analysis. The pathologists freeze the tissue sample and cut a thin section onto a slide. They review the sections under the microscope while you are still in surgery. The information pathologists provide guides the surgeon with your care.

Prostate Biopsies

Prostate biopsies are submitted to the laboratory where they are sampled extensively. Slides are reviewed by two board-certified surgical pathologists. As with breast biopsies, two independent examinations increase the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Skin Biopsies

Many physicians submit skin biopsies to the pathology department at SCMC. The lab has a complete dermatopathology service with two board-certified and academically affiliated dermatopathologists. Click here to learn more about skin biopsies.