What is the PASS score? The PASS (Pheochromocytoma of the Adrenal gland Scaled Score) is a tool that doctors use to predict the behaviour of a tumour called pheochromocytoma. A score of 3 or less means that the tumour is likely to behave in a non-cancerous manner and is cured by surgery alone. In contrast, …
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Cholestasis is a condition in which the flow of bile is reduced or blocked. Bile is a fluid made by the liver that helps digest fats and remove waste products from the body. When bile cannot flow normally, it accumulates in the liver and bloodstream, leading to symptoms and damage to liver cells over time. …
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What is an autoimmune disease? The immune system is designed to protect our body from infections and to help it heal after an injury. An autoimmune disease is a condition that develops when the immune system inappropriately damages normal, healthy tissue in the body. The damage can be caused directly by immune cells or specialized …
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What is a blood culture? A blood culture is a laboratory test performed to look for microorganisms such as bacteria or fungus in your blood. Why is a blood culture test performed? Healthcare professionals perform a blood culture test when they have reason to believe that a person may have microorganisms, such as bacteria or …
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Salivary duct carcinoma is a cancer that starts in the salivary glands. The salivary glands are small organs that produce saliva to help chew, swallow, and digest food. This cancer is considered rare and tends to grow more aggressively than other types of salivary gland cancers. Salivary duct carcinoma commonly affects the parotid gland, the …
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A xanthoma is a type of growth that forms under the skin or in other tissues of the body. It is made up of fat-filled cells called foamy histiocytes, which are a type of immune cell that has absorbed fat. Xanthomas can appear anywhere on the body but are most commonly found on the skin. …
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Xanthelasma (pronounced zan-the-las-ma) is a non-cancerous growth that appears as a soft, yellowish patch on the skin around the eyes, most often on the eyelids. These growths are composed of special immune cells called histiocytes that have become filled with fat (lipids). Because xanthelasma is harmless, it does not spread or turn into cancer. However, its …
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Histiocytes are a type of immune cell that are part of the body’s defense mechanism against infections and foreign substances. They belong to the mononuclear phagocyte system including monocytes in the blood and macrophages in tissues. Histiocytes play an important role in the immune system’s response to pathogens and tissue repair and maintenance. They are …
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In pathology, hypocellular describes tissue or organs that contain fewer cells than expected. A decrease in the number of cells can occur naturally with age or result from certain medical conditions, treatments, or injuries. Hypocellularity can affect different types of tissues, but is most commonly discussed in relation to tumours or bone marrow. What causes hypocellular tissue? …
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What does hypercellular mean? Hypercellular is a term pathologists use to describe an increased number of cells compared to normal in an area of the body. It is a descriptive term and not a diagnosis. Hypercellular can be used to describe both benign (non-cancerous) groups of cells and malignant (cancerous) tumours. Pathologists commonly use the …
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