HISTOPATHOLOGY COURSE CONTENT

PART 1 - HISTOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY

1. Terminologies
2. Etiology of disease
3. Signs, symptoms and course of disease
4. Cellular and tissue changes
PART 2 - HISTOPATHOLOGIC TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES
I. Introduction to Tissue Processing
1. Overview
2. Methods of tissue examination
3. Receiving, custody and identification issues
4. Grossing and section cutting
II. Fixation
1. Definition
2. Characteristics of good fixatives
3. Effects of fixation
4. Methods of Fixation
5. Types of Chemical fixatives
6. Factors affecting the rate of fixation
7. Secondary fixation and post-chromatization
III. Decalcification
1. Definition
2. Decalcifying agents
3. Methods of decalcification
4. Factors affecting the process of decalcification
5. Ways of measuring the extent of decalcification
6. Tissue softeners
IV. Dehydration
1. Definition
2. Characteristics
3. Methods of dehydration
4. Types of dehydrating agents
5. Advantages and disadvantages
V. Clearing/Dealcoholization
1. Definition
2. Characteristics
3. Clearing agents
4. Composition and preparation
5. End-point of clearing
VI. Impregnation/Infiltration
1. Definition
2. Types of impregnation
VII. Embedding, Casting, Blocking or Molding.
1. Definition
2. Types
3. Orientation
4. Trimming
VIII. Microtome, Section Cutting and Adhesives
1. Types
2. Care
3. Techniques
4. Parts
5. Honing
6. Stropping
7. Problems and resolutions encountered in Section Cutting
8. Adhesives

IX. Staining
1. Definition
2. Types
3. Composition and
4. Methods
5. Immuno-stains
6. Special stains
X. Mounting
1. Types
2. Composition and preparation
XI. Labeling
1. Techniques
2. Precautions
XII. Cell Blocking
1. Definition
2. Specimens
3. Fixation
4. Procedures and techniques
XIII. Automated Tissue Processing
1. Definition
2. Types
3. Advantages and Disadvantages
XVI. Biopsy
1. Excision
2. Incision
3. Core-needle biopsy
4. Fine needle aspiration biopsy
5. Processing
PART 3 - CYTOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURES
1. Definition
2. Importance
3. Specimens
4. Fixation
5. Staining Techniques
6. Methods of Reporting
7. Interpretation of Results (Clinical Significance)
PART 4 - AUTOPSY / POST MORTEM EXAMINATION (PME)
1. Signs of somatic death (Post mortem changes)
2. Purpose of PME
3. Techniques of PME
4. Requirements of PME
5. Personnel involved in PME
6. Medical autopsy vs. medico-legal autopsy
7. Classification of autopsy specimens.
8. Proper handling of autopsy specimen.
Part 5 - MT Laws, Related Laws, and Code of Ethics
1. MT Laws
2. Laboratory Management
3. Related Laws
4. Code of Ethics including Bioethics
Schedule of Quizzes
QUIZ 1 - Part 1 to Part 2:IV
QUIZ 2 - Part 2:V to Part 2:VIII
QUIZ 3 - Part 2:IX to Part 2: XVI
QUIZ 4 - Part 3 to Part 5