Michigan Diagnostic Pathologists
Michigan Diagnostic Pathologists, PLLC
Affiliated with: Ascension Providence - Providence Park Hospitals, Southfield, Novi and Rochester Campuses
 
Acute Appendicitis
Acute Appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch that hangs off of the beginning of the large intestine. Thus usually occurs due to an obstruction and can become infected.

In this image, the various layers of the appendix can be seen. The purplish haze seen through the appendiceal layers is evidence of the inflammatory cells.

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Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer of the biliary tree; a system of ducts that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine where it is used to aid in digestion.

In image 2, the ducts, which appear as large circular structures, are disorganized with irregular lumens. The nuclei of their cells, which appear as smaller dark purple structures, show variation in shape and size when in normal ducts they should be the same size and shape. In image 3, the ducts are again disorganized. In this image, mucinous secretions are more evident than in image 2.

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Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma

Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancer of the biliary tree; a system of ducts that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine where it is used to aid in digestion.

In image 2, the ducts, which appear as large circular structures, are disorganized with irregular lumens. The nuclei of their cells, which appear as smaller dark purple structures, show variation in shape and size when in normal ducts they should be the same size and shape. In image 3, the ducts are again disorganized. In this image, mucinous secretions are more evident than in image 2.

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Hairy Cell Leukemia
Hairy Cell Leukemia

Hairy cell leukemia is a cancer of a type of white blood cell called the B-cell. Hairy cell leukemia involves the peripheral blood, bone marrow, liver and spleen.

In this image, near the center of the field, are several cells with round, bland nuclei and abundant pale cytoplasm. Sometimes this cytoplasm can have multiple thin projections, hence the name hairy cell leukemia.

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Congo Red Positive Amyloid Deposits in the GI Tract
Congo Red Positive Amyloid Deposits in the GI Tract

Amyloid deposits are insoluble collections of misfolded proteins. These misfolded proteins can be involved in a number of disease processes including amyloidosis, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many more.

In this image, the amyloid deposits are highlighted by a special stain called Congo Red which gives them a bright red-orange color under standard microscopy. Under polarized light the amyloid will have an apple-green color.

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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PATHOLOGY

What is a Pathologist? Pathology is the field of medicine involved in the study of diseases. A pathologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis of diseases by examining samples from the human body such as blood or tissue specimens. Our pathologists are medical school graduates, with four to five years of additional training specifically in disease diagnosis. We are often referred to as the "microscope doctors", as we use a microscope on a daily basis in our practice to evaluate blood or tissue samples.

The pathologist is responsible not only for tissue diagnosis, but also for the testing performed in the hospital's clinical laboratory. Pathologists provide professional services in the following ways:

  1. Ensuring quality in all aspects of testing including collection of specimens and reporting results
  2. Selecting, evaluating, and validating test methods
  3. Advising laboratory technical personnel
  4. Ensuring that the physical plant and environment in the laboratory are appropriate for the testing performed
  5. Ensuring that procedures are adequate to determine the accuracy, precision, and other pertinent performance characteristics of the test used
  6. Ensuring that there is appropriate proficiency testing to validate laboratory procedures
  7. Ensuring that appropriate corrective action is taken when results or controls are unsatisfactory
  8. Ensuring that appropriate quality control and quality assurance programs are established and maintained
  9. Ensuring that consultation is available to healthcare professionals relating to test interpretation
  10. Advising the hospital concerning the number of employees and qualification of employees necessary for the proper performance of laboratory tests
  11. Ensuring that all personnel have appropriate education, experience, and continuing education to maintain a high level of quality
  12. Ensuring that an approved procedure manual is available to personnel responsible for all aspects of testing and processing
  13. Working with various departments and services to identify and provide testing appropriate to their needs
  14. Assuring that the hospital laboratory is in compliance with state license laws, Medicare requirements, requirements of the Clinical Laboratory Amendments of 1998, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization Program Standards, and accreditation by the College of American Pathologists and American Association of Blood Banks

FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS