DIF stands for direct immunofluorescence. It is a laboratory test that pathologists use to look for specific proteins in a tissue sample. Unlike most tissue samples, which are examined under ordinary light, DIF samples are examined under fluorescent light, which makes the proteins of interest glow so the pathologist can see exactly where they are …
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Direct immunofluorescence (DIF) is a specialized laboratory test pathologists use to identify specific proteins within a tissue sample. This test involves using antibodies attached to a fluorescent dye that glows brightly under a special microscope. By lighting up these proteins, DIF helps pathologists see their location and pattern within the tissue. Why is direct immunofluorescence …
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A desmoid tumor is a growth made of fibrous tissue that develops deep inside the body, in or near muscles and around internal organs. The current medical name is desmoid-type fibromatosis, and your report may also call it deep fibromatosis. A desmoid tumor is not a cancer. It does not spread to other parts of …
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A plasmacytoma is a tumor made of abnormal plasma cells. Plasma cells are immune cells that normally live in the bone marrow and make antibodies, also called immunoglobulins, to fight infection. In a plasmacytoma, a single abnormal plasma cell multiplies and forms a mass in one place. A plasmacytoma is a cancer, but when it …
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What is the Pheochromocytoma of the Adrenal Gland Scaled Score (PASS)? Pheochromocytoma of the Adrenal Gland Scaled Score (PASS) is a tool that doctors use to predict the behaviour of a 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 …
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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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Salivary duct carcinoma is one of the most aggressive types of cancer that starts in the salivary glands — the glands that make saliva. Unlike most salivary gland cancers, it grows quickly, often spreads to lymph nodes early, and can spread to distant sites such as the lungs, bones, and liver. Under the microscope, it …
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A xanthoma is a noncancerous collection of fat-filled immune cells. These cells, called foamy histiocytes, are histiocytes that have taken up fat, which makes them look bubbly or foamy under the microscope. Most xanthomas develop in the skin, where they appear as yellow or orange bumps or patches. They can also form in tendons and, …
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Ring sideroblasts are immature red blood cells (cells that are still developing in the bone marrow) that contain too much iron. Instead of being stored in the normal location, the iron builds up inside the developing red blood cell and forms a ring-shaped pattern around the nucleus, which is the control center of the cell. …
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A dermal nevus is a very common, noncancerous (benign) skin growth made up of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells in the skin that make melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color. The word “dermal” describes where these cells sit: in a dermal nevus, the melanocytes are found only in the dermis, the …
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