Anatomic Pathology is responsible for examination and interpretation of anatomic pathology specimens, tissue and body fluids. Consisting of approximately 35 dedicated and experienced staff members with subspecialties in anatomic pathology, all of our specialists are available for consultations to assist you with your diagnostic and therapeutic needs.
The department consists of the following subspecialty services:
eIHC (Immunohistochemical Stained eSlides)
Incorporating technological advances in digital imaging (eSlides) enhances research, education, and patient care across the street and around the world. Cleveland Clinic Laboratories now offers web-based eSlides of IHC-stained slides to help optimize clinical workflow for IHC. Learn more >>
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Breast Pathology
Breast Pathology offers rapid, accurate morphological diagnosis of breast lesions from needle core biopsies, lumpectomies and mastectomy specimens.
To complement the traditional histologic diagnosis of breast cancer, our pathologists also provide interpretation of special studies, such as immunohistochemistry testing for estrogen/progesterone receptors and molecular testing, including Her2 FISH. Research interests include the application of biomarkers to determine new means of predicting prognosis and therapeutic response.
Our breast pathologists are presenters at national continuing medical education courses in breast pathology and participate in leading professional organizations in the field.
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Cardiovascular Pathology
Cardiovascular Pathology has more than 30 years of experience in conjunction with Cleveland Clinic’s world-renowned cardiology and cardiovascular surgery programs. The cardiovascular pathologists offer expertise in pediaric and adult cardiovascular pathology, including cardiomyopathies; cardiac allograft vasculopathy; and acquired and congenital aortic and valvular diseases.
A full range of cardiovascular pathology services is available, including evaluation of congenital cardiovascular malformations, heart valve pathology, vascular pathology, and acquired heart disease; diagnosis of cardiomyopathies; diagnosis of primary cardiac disease by light, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy; heart transplant surveillance for cellular and antibody-mediated rejection; and evaluation of the cardiac conduction system evaluation and implantable cardiovascular devices.
Special interests include genomic profiling of the failing human heart; assessment of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, and issues related to cardiac transplantion and developmental cardiac pathology. Pathologists on the service are editorial board members and ad hoc reviewers for major cardiology and pathology journals, participate in numerous collaborative research projects in the field and are involved in leading international and national professional organizations.
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Cytopathology
Cytopathology is responsible for diagnosing diseases on the cellular level. Specimens examined include Pap tests, sputa, bronchial, esophageal, gastric, urinary tract and various body fluids (including urine, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial, gastric, duodenal, synovial, cerebrospinal, mammary nipple discharge) as well as needle aspirates from various organs including breast, lung, bone, prostate, thyroid, lymph node and deep organs.
Molecular Cytopathology studies are also available for peripheral blood, bone marrow and tissue investigations. Specimens must contain sufficient numbers of viable cells capable of mitosis. The type of anticoagulant, the freshness of the samples and the cellularity are all important variables.
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Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology specializes in the pathological interpretation of diseases of the skin as they present in patient tissue specimens. Our dedicated faculty have received subspecialty training and certification in dermatopathology.
The breadth of activity encompasses inflammatory and other non-neoplastic skin disease, pigmented lesions, and neoplasms, with special expertise in melanocytic neoplasms. In addition to routine methods, adjunctive techniques including immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, molecular techniques, and electron microscopy are employed when necessary.
Faculty members participate in interdisciplinary conferences with multiple departments including dermatology and plastic surgery and also communicate closely with other medical and surgical services that submit dermatologic specimens.
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Gastrointestinal Pathology
Cleveland Clinic gastrointestinal pathologists are widely recognized for their clinical experience and diagnostic expertise. Our board-certified pathologists have extensive experience in gastrointestinal, hepatic and pancreaticobiliary pathology. Their interests cover the range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease; cancer and precancerous conditions; mesenchymal and hematolymphoid lesions; and hepatic and pancreatic diseases.
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Genitourinary Pathology
Genitourinary Pathology offers a complete genitourinary and adrenal disease management program, including diagnosis of biopsy and resection specimens, evaluation for histological and molecular prognostic markers, and therapeutic response monitoring.
Our dedicated faculty members are among the most experienced in the country in genitourinary and adrenal pathology. Their interests and diagnostic capabilities cover the spectrum of diseases of the prostate, testis, bladder, ureter, kidney and adrenal gland.
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Gynecologic Pathology
Gynecologic Pathology provides interpretation and analysis of the full spectrum of gynecological pathology, including surgical oncology. Frozen sections, biopsy and surgical resection specimens are received daily. Special interests among the gynecologic pathologists include breast cancer metastatic to the cervix, ovarian tumors, prediction of chemosensitivity of ovarian carcinoma, protein expression in vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, and applications of micro-array analysis.
Our gynecologic pathologists are involved in numerous clinical and basic research studies related to the diagnosis and management of gynecologic malignancies.
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Head and Neck Pathology
Head and Neck Pathology analyzes a high volume of surgical and biopsy specimens each year, encompassing a wide spectrum of pathology. The pathologists work closely with surgeons and endocrinologists in the workup and evaluation of patients with a range of head and neck pathology, including endocrine disorders, salivary gland neoplasms, and benign and malignant squamous lesions.
The head and neck pathologists in the group also are experienced in the evaluation of complex head and neck resection specimens, including the oral cavity, larynx, ear, salivary gland, and nasopharynx.
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Hepatobiliary Pathology
Hepatobiliary Pathology provides diagnostic histopathology for biopsy and resection specimens from the liver, biliary tree and pancreas. Specialty interests among the hepatobiliary pathologists include viral hepatitis; fatty liver disease; primary biliary diseases; other chronic liver diseases; and hepatic, pancreatic, and biliary tumors. They also have expertise in allograft dysfunction after liver and pancreas transplantation and provide comprehensive consultation on these cases.
Our hepatobiliary pathologists hold leadership positions in the premier professional organizations in their field, frequently serve as guest lecturers and speakers at medical conferences and publish extensively in leading medical journals.
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Medical Kidney Pathology
Medical Kidney Pathology is responsible for the diagnosis of non-tumor kidney diseases. Our dedicated faculty utilize immunofluorescence and electron microscopy to provide patients with a comprehensive evaluation of their specimens.
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Renal Biopsies
To ensure the best possible result, it’s important for Cleveland Clinic Laboratories to know details about a patient’s clinical history. When ordering a renal biopsy, please include a Renal Biopsy Worksheet with you order.
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Neuropathology
Neuropathology specializes in the pathological evaluation and interpretation of patient specimens from the central and peripheral nervous systems and skeletal muscle. The breadth of expertise encompasses neoplastic and non-neoplastic pathology, with special expertise in brain tumors, epilepsy-related conditions, and neuromuscular diseases.
Primary services include the performance of intraoperative consultation (frozen sections), interpretation of biopsy and resection specimens, and evaluation of autopsied tissue. State of the art molecular testing is performed in the evaluation of CNS neoplasms and includes 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity in gliomas, EGFR amplification, and p53 mutational analysis.
The Section participates in interdisciplinary patient management conferences and supports the educational efforts of multiple departments and divisions throughout Cleveland Clinic, including Neurosurgery, the Brain Tumor Institute, Spine Center, Neurology, Rheumatology, and Endocrinology (for pituitary lesions). Members of the section are involved with over 100 interdisciplinary conferences annually.
The Section of Neuropathology plays important roles in multicenter trials, facilitating institutional participation as well as serving as central pathology reviewers for studies in which the primary investigator is based at Cleveland Clinic.
In addition to extensive collaborative research efforts, members of the section participate in individual research projects, primarily focusing on tumors, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
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Ocular Pathology
Ocular Pathology provides expert diagnosis of pathology of the eye, ocular adnexa and central nervous system pathologies, such as inflammatory diseases of the eyelid, conjunctiva, cornea, and uveal tract; primary malignancies and premalignant lesions; metastatic malignancies; and various degenerative conditions. The pathologists examine ophthalmic tissue for evidence of systemic disease, such as diabetes, as well as diseases that are limited to the eye, such as cataract and glaucoma. Because many organ systems may be involved in the systemic diseases, they frequently collaborate with other pathology specialists within Cleveland Clinic Laboratories.
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Orthopaedic Pathology
Orthopaedic Pathology specializes in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumors and tumor like lesions, skeletal degenerative diseases, and metabolic bone disease and the evaluation of orthopaedic biomaterials. The pathologists on the service work closely with skeletal radiologists and musculoskeletal oncologists to achieve rapid diagnosis.
Specialty pathologists participate in prospective, preclinical research to characterize new skeletal substitute materials and elucidate the cell biology of bone and cartilage metabolism and repair. The orthopaedic pathologists are members of the editorial boards of several major journals and have published widely.
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Pulmonary Pathology
Pulmonary Pathology offers evaluation of specimens for neoplastic and non-neoplastic lung diseases, with specialized expertise in occupational lung disease and transplantation pathology. Pathologists on the service utilize molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and ultrastructural techniques in their diagnostic workups. Ultrastructural and elemental/particle analysis are available for cases of occupational lung disease.
Research interests among the pulmonary pathologists include lung carcinogenesis and macrophage biology in interstitial lung diseases. They have presented national courses on a range of topics in pulmonary pathology and are members of leading professional organizations in the field.
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Soft Tissue Pathology
Soft Tissue Pathology provides comprehensive diagnostic assessment of soft tissue neoplasms, in addition to morphologic and immunophenotypic characterization of lesions and molecular analysis of specific genetic aberrations, including sarcoma-associated translocations. Soft Tissue pathologists process a high volume of cases annually. Special interests of the pathologists on the service include the identification of immunophenotypic and genotypic markers for specific sarcoma diagnosis.
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