What is a specimen?

In pathology, a specimen is any sample taken from your body and sent to a laboratory for examination by a pathologist. Specimens can vary widely in size and type, from small samples of tissue to entire organs or even bodily fluids like blood or urine. Examining specimens is essential for diagnosing and understanding many different medical conditions.

How are specimens labeled and tracked?

When your specimen is sent to the pathology laboratory, it’s assigned a unique identifier (such as “Specimen 1” or “Specimen A”). This identifier helps laboratory staff track your specimen carefully through every step of the process. If multiple specimens from your body are sent to the lab at once, each receives its own unique number or letter.

Pathologists typically provide a separate diagnosis for each specimen examined. Sometimes, if multiple specimens from the same patient share the same diagnosis, pathologists may group these specimens together and provide one overall diagnosis.

What are the common types of specimens?

Specimens generally fall into three main categories:

• Biopsies: These are small tissue samples, usually taken to provide an initial diagnosis or to identify the nature of a suspicious area, such as a lump or growth. Biopsies help doctors determine whether an area is benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

• Excisions: These are larger tissue samples removed during minor surgery, typically to completely remove a suspicious area. The pathologist examines excisions to confirm the diagnosis and check if all abnormal tissue has been removed.

• Resections: These are even larger specimens, often involving an entire or significant portion of an organ. A resection is usually done to treat a condition, such as removing an entire tumor along with surrounding healthy tissue.

What happens when specimens arrive at the pathology lab?

Once a specimen arrives in the laboratory, it first undergoes a gross examination. The term “gross” simply means examining the specimen visually, without a microscope (“with the naked eye”). A specially trained laboratory professional called a pathologist’s assistant usually performs this initial examination.

During the gross examination, the pathologist’s assistant:

• Describes the specimen’s size, shape, color, and texture.

• Identifies areas that might be abnormal.

• Selects representative pieces of tissue to be processed and viewed under a microscope by the pathologist.

How are specimens examined microscopically?

After the gross examination, selected parts of your specimen are prepared onto slides for microscopic examination by the pathologist. Under the microscope, the pathologist can see individual cells and tissue structures clearly, helping them identify exactly what type of condition or disease is present.

Why is examining specimens important?

Examining specimens helps pathologists and doctors diagnose diseases, including infections, inflammation, and cancer. Accurate diagnosis from your specimens allows your medical team to determine the most effective treatments and monitor your response to therapy.

Questions to ask your doctor

If you had a specimen sent for examination, you might want to ask your doctor:

• Why was a specimen collected, and what are you looking for?

• When will the pathology results be available?

• Will the pathology report influence my diagnosis or treatment plan?

• Do I need additional tests or follow-up based on the results?

Understanding the role and importance of specimens can help you stay informed about your health and actively participate in your care.