(1)
Department of Pathology, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore Pathology, Baltimore, MD, USA
Keywords
CellularityArchitectureNucleusCytoplasmNecrosisAdjectivesThe ability to speak the language is essential to effective learning in pathology. This chapter covers the approach to defining and describing an unknown tumor or lesion and defines histologic terms commonly used in pathology.
Common Prefixes and Suffixes and Their Definitions (a Very Short List)
Prefix or suffix | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
angio- | Vessels (usually blood vessels) | Angiosarcoma |
-blast | A precursor | Lipoblast |
chol- | Bile | Cholangitis |
chondro- | Cartilage | Chondroma |
-cyte | Cell | Erythrocyte |
dys- | Bad or improper | Dysplasia |
ecto- | Outside | Ectocervix |
-ectomy | Resection | Appendectomy |
endo- | Inside | Endobronchial |
epi- | Upon or in addition | Epidermis |
exo- | Outside | Exogenous |
extra- | Outside of, beyond | Extravasated |
hist- | Tissue | Histology |
hyper- | Above, beyond | Hyperchromatic |
hypo- | Under, below | Hypopharynx |
-iform | Resembling, but not the same as | Kaposiform |
inter- | Between | Intercellular |
intra- | Within, inside | Intrathoracic |
-itis | Inflammation | Meningitis |
leiomyo- | Smooth muscle | Leiomyoma |
lipo- | Adipose tissue | Lipoblast |
macro- | Large | Macroscopic |
mega- | Very large | Megakaryocyte |
meso- | Middle | Mesothelium |
meta- | After, beyond, or accompanying | Metaphysis |
micro- | Small | Microscope |
myxo- | Mucus | Myxoid |
neo- | New | Neoplasia |
-oid | Resembling, but not the same as | Sarcomatoid |
-oma | Tumor or mass | Hemangioma |
olig- | Few, small | Oligodendrocyte |
-osis | Indicating a pathologic state | Diverticulosis |
osteo- | Bone | Osteophyte |
-otomy | To cut into | Laparotomy |
-ous | Forming an adjective | Mucinous |
para- | Next to | Paravertebral |
-plasia | Growth | Hyperplasia |
pseudo- | False | Pseudocyst |
rhabdomyo- | Skeletal muscle | Rhabdomyosarcoma |
trich- | Hair | Trichobezoar |
Interface with the Surrounding Normal Tissue
Term and definition | Appearance | Example |
|---|---|---|
Circumscribed: well-delineated lesion | Well-defined border between normal tissue and the lesion | Fibroadenoma |
Encapsulated: surrounded by a fibrous capsule | Thick pink border surrounding the lesion | Follicular adenoma, thyroid |
Infiltrative: invading into and among the surrounding normal cells | No clear border between tumor and normal tissue | Prostate carcinoma |
Lobular: in architecture, refers to a generally circumscribed or anatomic distribution | Circumscribed, rounded nodules of cells; simulates a normal anatomic unit | Lobular capillary hemangioma |
Pushing border: expanding into and compressing the surrounding tissue | Can create the appearance of a capsule | Medullary carcinoma, breast |
Cellularity (Low to High) and Mitotic Rate
Note the cellularity (by cellularity we often mean how blue it is or how densely packed the nuclei are). Cellularity ranges from hypercellular , also called cellular, to hypocellular or paucicellular . Also look for mitoses on high power. High mitotic rate may be an indicator of malignancy. Atypical mitoses (tripolar or worse) are strongly suggestive of malignancy. Estimate how many mitoses are seen per high-power field (40× objective).
Architectural Pattern
Term and definition | Appearance | Example |
|---|---|---|
Alveolar: resembling alveoli or little cells, sacs, or nests | Nested—there is structure to the lesion but no glands or ducts | Paraganglioma (Figure 2.1a) |
Basaloid: resembling basal cell carcinoma | A blue, nested tumor (often poorly differentiated squamous) with tightly packed nuclei and palisading around the edge of the nest | Basal cell carcinoma (Figure 2.1b) |
Biphasic: having components of two cell lineages | Spindled cells with islands of epithelial cells or glands | Synovial sarcoma |
Cribriform: perforated, like a colander | Crisp round holes within a glandular structure | Adenoid cystic carcinoma (Figure 2.1c) |
Discohesive: falling apart into single cells | No common borders among cells | Lobular carcinoma in situ |
Epithelioid: composed of round to oval cells with abundant cytoplasm | Cells look plump and have clear cell borders; the opposite of sarcomatoid | Ductal carcinoma, breast (Figure 2.1d) |
Fascicular: composed of fascicles | Bundles of elongated, spindly cells streaming in parallel arrays | Leiomyoma (Figure 2.1e) |
Glandular: forming gland structures with lumens | True glands should have polarized cells radiating around a lumen | Adenocarcinoma |
Glomeruloid: resembling the glomerulus | A coiled tangle of vessels, capillaries, or glands | Vascular proliferations in glioblastoma (GBM) |
Herringbone: resembling a pattern of tweed fabric | A variant of fascicular that shows bundles alternating in a zigzag array | Fibrosarcoma (Figure 2.1f) |
Hobnailed: resembling a large-headed nail once used in shoes | Epithelial or endothelial cells that round up and protrude into the lumen as little humps | Angiosarcoma (Figure 2.1g) |
“Indian file”: cells infiltrating through the tissue in single-file lines | Lines may be only three to four cells long and run parallel to stromal planes | Lobular breast carcinoma
 Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
Get Clinical Tree app for offline access
|