Understanding Your Pathology Report: Diagnosis Guides

This section includes detailed diagnosis guides designed to help you understand the findings in your pathology report. Each article explains a specific diagnosis, including how it is made and which features in your report may affect treatment or prognosis. If you are looking for a simple definition of a medical term, visit our Pathology Dictionary.

What are Diagnosis Guides?

A diagnosis guide explains what a specific diagnosis means in the context of a pathology report. These articles describe how the diagnosis is made and what additional findings in the report may be important.

Browse by Body System

Head and Neck

• Oral cavity (lips and mouth)

• Oropharynx (tonsils, soft palate, base of tongue)

• Nasopharynx

• Larynx (vocal cords)

• Nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses

• Salivary glands

• Bones of the jaw (mandible and maxilla)

• Soft tissues of the head and neck

Brain and Nervous System

• Brain and spinal cord

Chest (Thorax)

• Lungs and pleura

• Thymus

• Heart and blood vessels

Breast

• Breast

Digestive System

• Esophagus

• Stomach

• Small intestine

• Large intestine (colon and rectum)

• Appendix

• Anus and anal canal

• Liver and bile ducts

• Gallbladder

• Pancreas

Urinary System

• Kidneys

• Bladder, ureters, and urethra

Female Reproductive System

• Ovaries and fallopian tubes

• Uterus and endometrium

• Cervix

• Vagina

• Vulva

Male Reproductive System

• Prostate gland

• Testicles

• Penis and scrotum

Endocrine System (Hormone-Producing Glands)

• Thyroid gland

• Parathyroid glands

• Adrenal glands

Blood, Lymph Nodes, and Bone Marrow

• Blood and bone marrow

• Lymph nodes and lymphoid tissue

Bones and Soft Tissue

• Bones

• Soft tissue (muscle, fat, connective tissue)

Skin

• Skin