Atrophy (also described as atrophic) means the shrinking or loss of tissue in an organ or body part. It describes how tissue appears under the microscope rather than providing a specific diagnosis. Atrophy itself is a benign (noncancerous) change. What it means for you depends on which tissue is affected and what is causing it. …
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“Atrophic” describes tissue or an organ that has become smaller or thinner because its cells have shrunk or decreased in number. It is the adjective form of atrophy and means the same thing: when a pathologist calls a tissue atrophic, they are saying the tissue shows atrophy. This is a benign (noncancerous) change that describes …
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An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is an abnormal tangle of blood vessels made up of arteries and veins. In a normal circulatory system, blood flows from the heart through arteries, into tiny capillaries that supply oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and then back to the heart through veins. In an AVM, the blood flows directly from …
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Immunoreactivity is a term pathologists use to describe how cells or tissues respond to a special laboratory test called immunohistochemistry (IHC). In this test, antibodies are applied to a tissue sample to look for specific proteins. If the protein being tested is present, the antibody will attach to it, and the cells will change color …
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An immunostain is a specialized laboratory test that pathologists use to identify specific proteins in a tissue sample. The test is performed using a technique called immunohistochemistry (IHC). In this process, antibodies are designed to attach to a particular protein in the cells of the sample. Once the antibody binds, it becomes visible under the …
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Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is caused by chronic inflammation (long-standing) that damages the colon and prevents it from working normally. The symptoms of this disease include diarrhea, fever, weight loss, bloating, and bloody stools. Pathologists normally describe the features seen in ulcerative colitis as chronic colitis. How is …
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Chronic colitis is a condition characterized by long-lasting inflammation in the colon (a part of the large intestine). This inflammation occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the tissue lining the colon, leading to ongoing damage. Chronic colitis is commonly seen in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of disorders that includes Crohn’s disease …
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The Gleason grade is a system pathologists use to describe how prostate cancer cells look under a microscope. It helps doctors understand how aggressive a type of prostate cancer called adenocarcinoma might be. The Gleason grade can only be determined after examining a sample of the tumor. How do pathologists determine the Gleason grade? To …
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What is a leiomyoma of the uterus? A leiomyoma is a non-cancerous tumour that starts in the wall of the uterus. The tumour is made up of specialized smooth muscle cells that are normally found in a part of the uterus called the myometrium. Leiomyomas are very common tumours and they usually occur in women …
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Background: Deep fibromatosis or desmoid tumour is a benign (non-cancerous) type of tumour that starts in connective tissue. It is considered locally aggressive because it can grow into surrounding tissues and organs. The tumour can also grow back if not completely removed. However, it will not metastasize (spread) to other body parts. Other names for …
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