PP & Histology

Question 1

what factors do you consider when interpreting a slide?

Answer 1

• correct specimen? clinical form and details?
• what type of tissue sample?
• orientation.
• magnification.

Question 2

how do you interpret histological slides?

Answer 2

• correct site?
• is it normal?
• inflammatory or neoplastic (abnormal growth?)
• if neoplastic : benign/ malignant?
• if malignant : primary or secondary?

Question 3

compare and contrast benign ve malignant tumors.

Answer 3

• localised vs spread.
• no metasteses vs metastases!
• slow growth vs rapid.
• compression on tissues vs invasion and destruction.
• good differentiation vs poor differentiation.

Question 4

differentiate between the to types of malignancies.

Answer 4

• primary : originating from that tissue.

- secondary : AKA metastases spread from primary tumour elsewhere.

Question 5

why do some stain purple and the other cells pink when using H&E?

Answer 5

• Haematoxylin stains areas with negative charge.
  eg: Nuclei.
• Eosin stains positively charged areas pink.
  eg: cytoplasm, skin.

Question 6

differentiate between histology vs cytology.

Answer 6

• Histology involves the study of tissue using core biopsies and Cytology involves the study of cells using aspirates.
• Histology includes excised skin lesion resection specimens, endoscopic biopsies.

Question 7

where is histology used?

Answer 7

• therapeutic and diagnostic.
• assess architecture.
• differentiate in-situ from invasive.

Question 8

where is cytology used?

Answer 8

• faster cheaper and non-invasive.
• for fluid examinations.
• preliminary before other investigations.
• confirm/ exclude cancer eg: smear test.