A n a t o m i c   P a t h o l o g y


Surgical Pathology
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory provides expertise in a broad range of surgical pathology specilaties. See Pathology Consultation in the Test Directory for guidelines on submitting. Pathologists are available for consultation on submitted cases.

Bone Marrow Consultation
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory offers a full range of expert consultative services for bone marrow evaluation and interpretation.

Full morphologic interpretation of bone marrow specimens by staff hematopathologist is available. Services include: evaluation of prepared peripheral blood smears, bone marrow aspirate smears, touch imprints, core biopsies and clot sections (if available). In some cases, additional studies may be performed on this material such as cytochemistry or molecular studies at the discretion of the pathologist. See Bone Marrow categories in the Test Directory for specimen requirements.

Flow cytometric immunophenotyping services are available on bone marrow samples for the evaluation of suspected hemotalogic malignancy. This includes a morphologic review of submitted stained or unstained aspirate smears along with four-color flow cytometric analysis and interpretation by a staff hematopathologist. This review includes an initial morphologic evaluation to determine the appropriateness of the panel requested. See Flow Cytometry categories in the Test Directory for specimen requirements.

Dermatopathology 
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory offers a complete service of processing and sectioning paraffin sections of skin biopsy with expertise in the microscopic evaluation. See Dermatopathology in the Test Directory for skin biopsy submission guidelines.

Electron Microscopy Consultation
Services consist of ultrastructural examination of biopsy, renal disease and surgical specimens utilizing both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Emphasis is also placed on differential identification of poorly differentiated neoplasms. Other activities include ultrastructural diagnosis of disease processes in muscle, nerve, skin, blood cells, heart and other tissues. Special studies are available for identification and quantification of mineral particles (e.g. asbestos) in tissue specimens. See Electron Microscopy categories in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Histopathology 
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory offers service in complete processing and sectioning of routine paraffin sections with expertise for the microscopic evaluation in virtually all specialties. See Histopathology in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Lymph Node (or other tissue) Biopsy Consultation for Lymphoma
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory offers comprehensive expert consultative servivces for the evaluation of lymphoproliferative disorders. A full range of ancillary techniques (flow cytometric immunophenotyping, immunohistochemistry, and molecular diagnostics) are available. Several levels of service are offered:
  • Flow cytometry only - specimens may be sent fresh in tissue culture medium for flow cytometric immunophenotyping for interpretation by the referring pathologist. See Flow Cytometry categories in the Test Directory for specimen requirements.
  • Flow cytometric immunophenotyping with histopathologic evaluation - clients may send fresh tissue in tissue culture medium for flow cytometric immunophenotyping. When routinely processed tissue is available, histologic slides and paraffin blocks are forwarded fir comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis. See Flow Cytometry and Surgical Pathology Consultation in the Test Directory for specimen requirements.
  • Consultation, paraffin-embedded tissues - specimens (slides and tissue blocks) may be sent  for diagnostic consultation. Ancillary studies will be performed (immunohistochemistry, molecular diagnostics) if required. See Surgical Pathology Consultation in the Test Directory for guidelines on submitting slides and blocks for interpretation.

Muscle and Nerve Biopsy
The staff of Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory offers expertise in neuropathology with specialty in muscle ands nerve disorders. The laboratory provides the technology and expertise to perform a battery of enzyme histocehemical stains for these specimens. See Muscle or Nerve Biopsy in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Special Stains
A wide variety of special stains are available for microscopic evaluation. See Special Stain in the Test Directory for specimen submission and the Special Stain table.

Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescence (DIF)
A wide variety of immunohistochemical, cellular immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence stains are available. See Immunohistochemistry and Direct Immunofluorescence in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines and the Immunohistochemistry table for stains offered.

Her-2/neu Testing
Cleveland Clinic Reference Laboratory utilizes the FDA approved fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for detection of Her-2/neu gene amplification. See Her-2/neu in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Submission Requirements (Surgical Pathology)
Federal Law and good medical practice require pertinent information to be included on each test request with all submissions as follows:

  • Label each container or slide with patient's name, physician's name and source of specimen. Client account number should also be included. Complete an Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF) and send with specimen. Use block print.
  • Include all pertinent clinical information including patient's age, sex, clinical impression, anatomical location of tissue and ICD9 diagnosis code on the Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF).
  • Provide all billing information including ordering physician's name and UPIN and third party or patient billing data.

Specimen Rejection Criteria (Surgical Pathology) 
Client Services will notify the client of unacceptable specimens and test cancellations. Listed below are causes for specimen rejection: 

  • No patient identification on Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF)
  • No patient identification on specimen container or slides 
  • No account/physician number and none available 
  • No account/physician name 
  • Specimen leaked from container 
  • Slides broken beyond repair on receipt 
  • Slides/Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF) separated on receipt and not properly identified 
  • Conflict between name of patient on specimen and name on Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF)
  • Specimen obviously not properly preserved 
  • No test or source indicated on Anatomic Pathology Requisition Form (PDF)

Cytology
Extensive expertise in cytologic interpretation is available in the Cytopathology Laboratory. Specimens examined include cervical-vaginal smears, sputa, bronchial, esophageal, gastric, urinary tract and various body fluids (including urine, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, gastric, duodenal, synovial, cerebrospinal, mammary nipple discharge) as well as needle aspirates from various organs including breast, lung, bone, prostate, thyroid. lymph node and deep organs. The principle emphasis is the evaluation of preneoplastic or neoplastic changes. The Cytology Laboratory can also asses irradiation changes and presence of viral inclusion bodies and other infecting pathogens. Cytopathologists are available for consultation on submitted cases. See Surgical Pathology Consultation in the Test Directory for guidelines on submitting slides and blocks for interpretation.

ThinPrep Pap Test
The Cytology Laboratory provides the technology and expertise to process and diagnose ThinPrep PAPs. The ThinPrep Test was cleared by the FDA in 1996 as an alternative for the conventional PAP smear. See Cytology, ThinPrep PAP in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Digene Hybrid Capture IIHPV DNA Test, the molecular detection of HPV DNA, can be performed on the same gynecologic (ThinPrep PAP) specimens submitted to the laboratory in CYTYC Thin Prep PreserveCyt™ solution. See HPV DNA Assay in the Test Directory for specimen submission guidelines.

Contact the Client Services for ThinPrep Pap Test supplies.

Submission Requirements (Cytology)

  • Federal Law and good medical practice require pertinent information to be included on the Cytology Test Requisition (PDF) form with all submissions as follows: 
    • Patient's name, date of birth, and ID number, if any. 
    • Source of material submitted (cervical, endocervical, vaginal or other body site). 
    • Ordering physician's name and telephone number. 
    • Last menstrual period (LMP). 
    • Hormonal status (e.g., post-menopausal, gravid). 
    • Exogenous hormone therapy (including birth control pills, treatment for endocrine-responsive malignancy, estrogen creams). 
    • Use of intrauterine device (IUD). 
    • DES exposure 
    • Histories of abnormal cytology, systemic chemotherapy, gynecologic surgery, cryosurgery, electrocautery or laser surgery. 
    • Date of last gynecologic smear. 
    • Any other pertinent history (e.g., non-GYN history of previous surgery, presence of other masses, etc.). 
    • Designate patients at high risk for cervical cancer including, for example, previous gynecological history of dysplasia or higher, HPV infection, HIV infection, multiple sexual partners, grossly visible lesion, early age of sexual intercourse, DES exposure, smoker, abnormal vaginal bleeding, prior abnormal Pap smear or history of malignancy. 
  • Label all slides and specimen containers with the patient's name and site(s) collected. Federal law prohibits acceptance of unlabeled specimens. 
  • Collect all Pap smears according to NCCLS guidelines. 

Specimen Rejection Criteria (Cytology)
Client Services will notify the client of unacceptable specimens and test cancellations. Listed below are causes for specimen rejection: 

  • No patient identification on Cytology Test Requisition form (PDF)
  • No patient identification on slide 
  • No account/physician number and none available 
  • No account/physician name 
  • Specimen leaked from container 
  • Slides broken beyond repair or receipt 
  • Slides/Cytology Test Requisition form (PDF) separated on receipt and not properly identified 
  • Conflict between name of patient on specimen and name on Cytology Test Requisition form (PDF)
  • Specimen obviously not properly preserved
  • No test or source indicated on Cytology Test Requisition form (PDF)
Surgical Pathology:

Cytology:

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top

 

 

 

 

 

Top