A translocation is a genetic change in which a piece of one chromosome breaks off and joins a different chromosome. Chromosomes are the structures in a cell that carry DNA. Some translocations cause cancer. Others cause no harm. Pathologists test for translocations to diagnose many blood cancers, lymphomas, and sarcomas. This article explains what a …
Read More »
Matted lymph nodes are groups of lymph nodes that have become stuck together, forming a single mass. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures that are part of the immune system. They help the body fight infections by filtering out harmful substances. Normally, lymph nodes are separate from one another, but in certain conditions, they can …
Read More »
In a molecular pathology report, the word fusion refers to a specific genetic change in which two different genes that are normally separate join together. This joining creates a new, hybrid gene that produces an abnormal protein. These fusion events happen inside the cancer cells and are not something a person is born with. Because …
Read More »
Ghost cells are a specific type of dead cell seen under the microscope in certain medical conditions. They are called “ghost” cells because they appear as pale, empty outlines of the original cell, almost as if the cell is a shadow or “ghost” of itself. These cells no longer function and have lost their internal …
Read More »
Hematopoiesis is the process by which the body produces new blood cells. The word comes from the Greek words “hema,” meaning blood, and “poiesis,” meaning formation. Hematopoiesis is essential for maintaining the body’s supply of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets, which are all crucial for carrying oxygen, fighting infections, and …
Read More »
A chondroid tumour is a type of growth or mass that contains tissue resembling cartilage. Cartilage is the firm, flexible tissue found in joints, the respiratory tract, and other body parts. Chondroid tumours can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous). When is this term used in a pathology report? The term “chondroid tumour” is often …
Read More »
In pathology, chondroid refers to tissue that looks and behaves like cartilage. Cartilage is a firm, flexible tissue found in various body parts, such as the joints and respiratory tract. What does chondroid tissue look like under the microscope? Chondroid tissue appears glassy and smooth under the microscope and is made up of cells called …
Read More »
Lipoblasts are immature fat cells involved in the development of normal fat tissue. They are still growing and maturing but have not yet developed into fully formed fat cells, known as adipocytes. Lipoblasts play an important role in forming fat tissue in the body and can also be seen in some types of tumors. Where are …
Read More »
Comedonecrosis is a term pathologists use to describe a specific type of cell death (necrosis) found in certain cancers. It occurs when cancer cells in the center of a tumour grow rapidly but outgrow their blood supply. Without enough blood, oxygen, and nutrients, these cells die, forming an area of dead cells and debris. This …
Read More »
Anaplasia is a term pathologists use to describe cancer cells that have lost the appearance and organization of the normal cells they came from. In healthy tissue, cells are differentiated — meaning they have developed specialized shapes and functions suited to the organ they belong to. Anaplastic cells have shed this specialization entirely. They look …
Read More »
🔍 Search MyPathologyReport
Type what you see on your report — for example a diagnosis or test name
