Descriptive Terms in Anatomic Pathology

Abstract

The language of pathology is not explicitly taught in medical school, so before having a fluent conversation with an attending, the resident must learn all of the terms pathologists use to describe the features of a tumor or lesion. This chapter covers the approach to defining and describing an unknown tumor or lesion and defines histologic terms commonly used in pathology. This chapter will also take a moment to talk about the nucleus. If you are beginning your pathology residency, you will spend the next 4 years learning to read nuclei. The H in H&E stands for hematoxylin, which stains nucleic acids, and therefore nuclei, purple; the eosin highlights everything else. A large chunk of pathology can be boiled down to recognizing nuclear changes that suggest malignancy.