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Histology
Histology
Histology is a branch of anatomy that deals with the study structure of animal and plant tissues that is only discernible with a microscope. It is also called microscopic anatomy, as opposed to gross anatomy, which involves structures that can be observed with the naked eye. The word “histology” is derived from two Greek words: histo, which means “tissue,” and logos, which means “study.”
Histopathology, the microscopic study of diseased tissue, is an important tool used in anatomical pathology, as accurate diagnosis of cancer and other diseases usually requires histopathological examination of samples.
Histological studies are often carried out by examining a thin slice (called a “section”) of tissue under a light microscope or an electron microscope on a prepared slide.
In order to distinguish different biological structures more easily and accurately, histological stains are often used to add colors to, or enhance the colors of, certain types of biological structures to allow them to be more easily differentiated from other types of structures. Staining is employed because biological tissue has little inherent contrast when observed using either light or electron microscopes.
Trained physicians, frequently licensed clinical pathologists, are the personnel who actually perform histopathological examinations and provide diagnostic information based on their observations of the tissues being tested.
The trained personnel who prepare histological specimens for examination may go by a number of titles, including:
- Histotechnician
- Histology technician (HT)
- Histology technologists (HTL)
- Medical scientists
- Medical laboratory technician
- Biomedical scientist
Their field of study is called histotechnology.
Histology has seen recent changes as technological advances in automation have influenced the field. Automation allows for the reduction of the workload of manual task needed to prepare and track histology specimens. Artificial intelligence also is playing a growing role in supporting the analysis of sections, supporting anatomic pathologists during their examinations of samples.
Early Experience with Accountable Care Organization Has Lessons for Pathologists
More than 500 accountable care organizations now operate nationwide. To date, however, few independent pathology groups and clinical labs have successfully negotiated lab testing contracts with these ACO…
Healthcare Cost Solutions Will Continue to Pinch Lab Industry Revenues in 2015
CEO SUMMARY: Will 2015 turn out to be a watershed year for the clinical laboratory industry? With healthcare cost solutions continuing to squeeze laboratory profits, two federal agencies are pushing forw…
Lab Industry to Confront Major Issues during 2015
CEO SUMMARY: Will 2015 turn out to be a watershed year for the clinical laboratory industry? Not only are two federal agencies pushing forward with initiatives that will touch nearly every medical lab in the United States in the next 12 months, but other equally powerful trends c…
Longer Pay Cycle for Labs, Plus Lower Collection Rate
CEO SUMMARY: Across the United States, clinical labs, histology labs, and pathology groups are experiencing both a much longer payment cycle for claims and a decreased gross collection rate. Blame can be placed on several trends. One trend is the steady increase in the number of patients …
Maine’s Spectrum Medical Group Offers Multiple Specialties
CEO SUMMARY: Pathologists looking for a viable future in a healthcare system marked by integration of clinical care and value-based reimbursement will be interested to learn about Spectrum Medical Group based in Portland, Maine. This 180-member multispecialist group includes 22 pathologis…
2013’s Top Ten Lab Stories Point to Tougher Times
CEO SUMMARY: For 2013, the big story was money—or, more accurately, less money for providers. This was not limited to clinical labs and pathology groups, but was equally true of hospitals and physicians. In THE DARK REPORT’S annual lookback at the year’s 10…
Ottawa Pathology Lab Cuts Turnaround Time By More Than 50%
CEO Summary: Pathologists at Ottawa Hospital not only must handle a large volume of specimens regularly, but are experiencing a 14% per year growth in the number of specimens. Last year, when the average turnaround time for a case was nine days, the pathology department embarked …
PathCentral Launches Sale of New Anatomic Pathology LIS
THERE IS A NEW PLAYER in the market for anatomic pathology laboratory information systems (APLIS). This gives pathology groups a new option when it is time to upgrade or replace their existing APLIS. It also brings a new competitor into the existing market for anatomic pathology (AP) software. In re…
March 4, 2013 “Intelligence: Late-Breaking Lab News”
Even if not billion-dollar transactions, there are some interesting deals unfolding in the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) marketplace. Last month, HYCOR Biomedical, Inc., of Garden Grove, California, sold its Kova urinalysis system and business “to an affiliate of One …
Pathology Labs Want Method To Correct Specimen ID Errors
CEO SUMMARY: When pathology labs discover instances of a misidentified or contaminated tissue specimen, there is a new service that allows them to retrospectively use DNA to properly match that specimen to the correct patient. In part two of our series, we look at how some pathology labs …
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