Anatomic Pathology
Academic-oriented and Board Certified Pathologists with extensive expertise and sub-specialty interests in all areas of pathology provide comprehensive diagnostic interpretations and consultations.
Pathologists help diagnose disease, determine its causes, and monitor diseases from common conditions to complex infections. Though patients often do not see pathologists, laboratory services touch every department within the healthcare system.
Pathology involves studying samples of cells, body fluids, or tissues to determine if disease is present or likely to be in the future. St. John’s Pathologists are board certified MDs and/or PhDs who examine tissues or run laboratory tests and deliver diagnostic reports to physicians. St. John’s Pathology Department has vast breadth and depth that includes the traditional specialties of anatomical and clinical pathology, as well as the added value of pathologists who sub-specialize in distinct clinical areas or organ systems. For example, an anatomical pathologist can specialize not only in surgical pathology, but also, more specifically, in breast pathology.
Anatomical Pathologists make their diagnoses through visual examination of tissue or cells. One common means of tissue or cell extraction is the biopsy. A biopsy can be performed with a thin needle that pulls cells and fluid out of the body; a scalpel, or other medical cutting or shaving devices that cut larger sections of tissue from the body; or by using a medical spatula to scrape cells away from the body for examination. Data or information gathered from these samples assists the Anatomical Pathologist with bio-markers and uses his or her judgments in order to determine the most accurate diagnosis. A common example of this is the gynecological Pap Cytology Test used to detect cancerous or pre-cancerous cells in women.