Osteochondroma is the most common non-cancerous type of bone tumour. The name is made up of three parts that come from Greek words – “osteo-“meaning bone, “chondro-” meaning cartilage, and “-oma” which describes an abnormal growth. As the name suggests, the tumour is made up of both bone and cartilage. Most osteochondromas develop in a …
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In pathology, the term diffuse describes a change that is seen throughout the tissue sample examined. Diffuse changes can be seen when the tissue is examined by eye (this is called the gross examination) or under the microscope. The opposite of diffuse is focal.
In pathology, the term “focal” refers to something that is localized or limited to a specific area or spot, rather than being diffusely spread out or affecting a large area of tissue. When used to describe disease processes, abnormalities, or lesions, “focal” indicates that the changes or effects are confined to one or relatively small, …
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In pathology, the term distal is used to describe a part of an organ or tissue farther from the middle or center of the body than another part of the organ or tissue being examined. The opposite of distal is proximal. For example, the colon is a long tube that starts at the end of …
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In pathology, the term proximal describes the part of a tissue or organ closest to the center (midline) of the body. Doctors and pathologists use this term to explain the location of tumours, lesions, or specific areas within an organ. For example, the colon (large intestine) is a long tube divided into six sections: the …
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The phrase negative for malignancy means that no cancer cells were seen when the tissue or cell sample was examined under the microscope. In pathology, the term malignant is used to describe cancer, so “negative for malignancy” means that the sample does not show any signs of cancer. This result is reassuring, but it is …
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The phrase positive for malignancy means that cancer cells were seen in the tissue or cell sample when it was examined under the microscope. In pathology, the term malignant is used to describe cancer, and positive means that something—in this case, cancer—was found. This phrase is commonly used in small tissue samples, such as core …
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In a pathology report, the word inadequate means that the sample taken was not good enough to provide a reliable diagnosis. This does not mean that something is necessarily wrong with the patient. Instead, it means that the pathologist did not have enough cells or tissue, or the material was too damaged, to make a …
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The phrase “limited for interpretation” means that the sample provided to the pathologist contained some information but not enough to make a full and confident diagnosis. Unlike “insufficient for diagnosis,” where almost no useful information is available, “limited for interpretation” means the pathologist was able to examine the material but found it difficult to reach …
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In a pathology report, the term non-diagnostic means that the pathologist was not able to make a diagnosis based on the tissue or sample that was provided. This result does not mean the sample is normal or healthy—it simply means that there was not enough information in the sample to make a clear conclusion. Non-diagnostic …
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