Medical terminology for anatomical pathology technicians An overview

2. Medical terminology for anatomical pathology techniciansAn overview A.Gharib,MD,AP&CP August 2008

3. What does a histopathology technician do? • Prepares grossing area and specimens • Prepares and performs routine biological staining techniques; • Assists Pathologist with setting up surgical specimens, gross description, etc.; • Prepares tissue specimens for routine and special procedures • Embeds, cuts and stains tissue for histologic examination; • Prepares frozen sections; • Maintains and operates equipment and instruments; • Records and files findings as directed; • Maintains all records, updates, standard operating procedures, etc. • Enters information such as demographics, order numbers, etc. into automated systems; • Attends pertinent seminars to remain abreast of methodology and instrumentation in the field; • May use computer applications or other automated systems such as spreadsheets, word processing, calendar, e-mail and database software in performing work assignments; • May perform other incidental tasks, as needed.

4. To perform all of the above tasks, a histopathology technician requires a vocabulary of words that describe very specific concepts unique to this field. Most of this vocabulary is related to surgical procedures and specimens. So in this section, we will begin with a general description of the most common terms used in surgical pathology section, and then proceed to specific organ systems, explaining the specific terminology for each part.

5. Introduction to anatomy • Planes of the body: -Vertical (frontal, coronal) plane: divides the body to create a posterior (back) and an anterior (front) portion. -Mid-sagittal (median) plane: passes through the center of head, chest and pelvis, dividing the body into two equal right and left portions. -Transverse (horizontal) plane: divides the body horizontally into an upper and a lower portion.

6. Planes of the body

7. Cavities of the body -Cranial cavity: contains the brain -Thoracic cavity (including the pleural cavity and the mediastinum): contains the heart, lungs and large blood vessels. -Abdominal cavity: contains the stomach, intestine, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen. -Pelvic cavity: contains the urinary bladder, rectum, and internal parts of the reproductive system.

8. Cavities of the body

9. Terms describing orientation

10. Terms describing consistency • Soft • Gelatinous • Brittle • Elastic • Firm • Hard • Stony • Bony

11. Common Prefixes

12. Common Suffixes

13. Surgical terms

14. Gross pathological description of tumors

15. Gastrointestinal system,Combining forms, suffixes, and terminology

16. Gastrointestinal system,Combining forms,cont.

17. Gastrointestinal system,Combining forms,cont.

18. Gastrointestinal system,Combining forms,cont

19. Gastrointestinal system,substances,Combining forms,cont

20. Pathology of the digestive system

21. Pathology of the digestive system

22. Intussusception

23. Intussusception

24. Volvulus

25. Procedures • Esophagoscopy/esophageal biopsy • Endoscopy/gastric biopsy,duodenal biopsy • Colonoscopy/biopsy of colon,rectum • Liver biopsy • Cholecystectomy • Splenectomy • Intestinal resection

26. Total gastrectomy

27. Total colectomy

28. Respiratory tractCombining forms, suffixes,and terminology

29. Respiratory tract.Combining forms, cont

30. Pathological terminology of the respiratory system

31. Procedures • Bronchoscopy/bronchial biopsy • Laryngoscopy/laryngeal biopsy • Mediastinoscopy • Thoracentesis:obtaining fluid from the pleural cavity • Thoracoscopy • Thoracotomy/lung biopsy. lung lobectomy,lung resection • Tracheostomy • Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB)

32. Urinary system Combining forms, suffixes,and terminology

33. Urinary system Combining forms, suffixes, and terminology

34. Pathological terminology of the urinary system

35. Pathological terminology of the urinary system,cont.

36. Procedures • Cystoscopy • Cystectomy:resection of urinary bladder • Renal biopsy (open/needle) • Renal transplantation • Nephrectomy (radical/partial)

37. Female reproductive systemCombining forms, suffixes, and terminology

38. Female reproductive systemCombining forms,suffixes

39. Pathological terminology of the female genital tract

40. Pathological terminology of the female genital tract,cont.

41. Procedures • Colposcopy:visual examination of vagina &cervix • Conization/cone biopsy: Removal of a cone-shaped section of cervix • Culdocentesis:needle aspiration of fluid from cul-de-sac • Dilatation and curettage(D&C) • Endocervical & endometrial curettage • Tubal ligation • Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH-BSO) • Amniocentesis: surgical puncture of the amniotic sac to obtain amniotic fluid • Chorionic villous sampling • Mastectomy(radical/simple) • Quadrantectomy • Lumpectomy • Core needle Biopsy of breast • FNA (fine needle aspiration) of breast

42. Cone biopsy of cervix

43. TAH-BSO

44. Male reproductive system

45. Male reproductive system

46. Pathological conditions

47. Procedures • Transurethral resection of prostate(TURP) • Orchiectomy • Vasectomy:Excision of a segment of vasa deferens • Needle biopsy of prostate • prostatectomy

48. Central Nervous system

49. Central Nervous system

50. Central Nervous system