Synopsis
Surgical pathology is a multifaceted undertaking that involves six distinct levels of analysis. While this may seem intricate, it is precisely this complexity that underpins its efficacy and enables accurate diagnoses. In certain cases, medical conditions can be quite complex and require meticulous procedures to achieve precise and comprehensive results. As a surgical pathologist, it is crucial to obtain high-quality diagnostic outcomes to determine the most appropriate treatment for your patients. Without accurate results, the chosen treatment may not meet the desired expectations, potentially leading to negative health outcomes. Therefore, implementing surgical pathology techniques is essential to achieve a definitive diagnosis and devise an effective treatment plan for your patients. The six levels involved in this process are gross examination, microscopic examination, and molecular analysis; the diverse combinations of these levels can provide you with critical information about the patient’s condition. Let’s read more about the six levels that are important in handling various and complex medical conditions during surgical pathology.
Role of Surgical Pathology
Apart from being an important part of modern pathology and medicine in general, surgical pathology is also used to analyze tissue specimens that are surgically removed from patients for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The goal of surgical pathology is to identify the underlying cause of a patient’s disease or medical condition and accordingly determine the treatment plan. The examination is a crucial element in surgical pathology. It involves a physical exam of the tissue with the naked eye and the examination of processed tissue under a microscope. Surgical pathology may be supported by immunohistochemistry or other laboratory tests as well.
Six Levels of Examinations
In surgical pathology, there are usually six levels of examination. The levels are used to provide a comprehensive and accurate diagnosis and help the medical expert make decisions regarding patients’ treatment. To arrive at a conclusive decision regarding the treatment plan, it is crucial to select the appropriate devices. Thus, equipping your laboratory with state-of-the-art microscopes and scanners and the right software is the key to the successful interpretation and analysis of the tissues. Below are the 6 levels of examination that surgical pathology follows:
Level #1: Gross Examination
The first level of examination is the gross examination. This stage involves the examination of the specimen with the naked eye to analyze it by size, shape, and color. During the stage of gross examination, you examine the specimen for any abnormalities or areas that may require further examination. This stage can also involve the dissection of the specimen to expose specific structures or lesions that are difficult to visualize from the surface. For example, a tumor may be dissected to expose its internal structure or a lymph node may be cut open to discover the areas of necrosis or hemorrhage.
Level #2: Microscopic Examination
Microscopic examination is the second level, and it involves examining the tissue under the microscope to evaluate its cellular composition, structure, and function. The tissue is prepared on a glass slide and stained with special dyes that help to highlight the special cellular features or structures. You examine the specimen under diverse magnifications to discover any abnormalities. This stage can involve searching for the signs of inflammation, infection, or cancerous growth.
Level #3: Molecular Analysis
The molecular analysis represents the third tier of the examination. This stage involves the use of advanced laboratory techniques to study the DNA, RNA, and proteins within the tissue sample to help identify specific mutations or biomarkers that may inform diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decisions. Molecular analysis can also include techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), or next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Level #4: Gross and Microscopic Examination
The fourth stage of the examination includes the evaluation of surgical and biopsy specimens through gross and microscopic analysis by both surgical specialists (such as dermatologists) and non-surgical providers like pathologists. This stage allows for a definitive diagnosis of the disease. This stage can involve actions such as biopsy, amputation, or resection.
Level #5: Gross and Microscopic Examination
During this stage, the surgical pathologist does the excision of a lesion requiring microscopic evaluation of surgical margins. It may encompass procedures such as adrenal resection (removing the cancerous adrenal glands), brain biopsy, amputation of an extremity, and other similar surgical interventions.
Level #6: Gross and Microscopic Examination
The final level of the examination is yet another gross and microscopic examination procedure that goes even deeper. It involves separate evaluation of the specimen and resection. The practice of this procedure includes the resection of bones, the colon, the pancreas, and other similar organs.
A Comprehensive Approach
Overall, these levels of surgical pathology involve a comprehensive approach to the examination and diagnosis of tissue specimens. Each level of the examination builds on the previous one and allows for a more detailed analysis of the tissue resulting in a more accurate diagnosis.
Conclusion
There are six levels in surgical pathology practice. At first, surgical pathology may seem complex, but it represents a very effective solution when it comes to handling diverse medical conditions in patients. In certain complex cases, the six levels of surgical pathology help you to get accurate and detailed information and aid you in taking the best decisions about the future treatment of the patient. Creating the optimal environment for surgical pathology practice is vital to ensure accurate and reliable results. An integral aspect of achieving this involves having access to state-of-the-art equipment that facilitates efficient and effective analyses. PreciPoint’s digital microscopes and scanners, alongside their accompanying software solutions, are customized to suit the specific requirements of digital laboratories, enabling seamless workflows, and simplifying the diagnostic process. As such, utilizing PreciPoint’s cutting-edge technology can play a pivotal role in optimizing surgical pathology practice.
