Histology

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Pathology Department is undergoing a digital transformation whereby glass slides are digitised and are able to be viewed on digital workstations, rather than microscopes.  This change is being undertaking in partnership with Philips Healthcare. 

The transformation will take several years to complete for histology (and longer for cytology where the technology is less mature).  We are following national guidelines and best practice recommendations from the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) and pathologists reporting digitally are following the RCPath validation process.  Digital Pathology is being incorporated into our quality management system and we are working towards UKAS extension to scope. 

We fully believe that this development will deliver both quality and safety benefits to our service users. 

Intra-Operative Frozen Section Requests

Pre-Booking a Frozen Section

 The requesting clinician must ensure that:

• Pathology Duty Consultant is notified of frozen section request 24 hours in advance of sample collection, via Pathology Specimen Reception on 0141 354 9513 or 0141 354 9514 (89513 or 89514)
• As per national guidance, the department will routinely process requests for frozen section analysis unless the clinician or request form indicate the patient potentially being COVID positive.
• On the day of surgery, theatre staff notify Pathology reception that the frozen section is on its way to the Laboratory.

Failure to pre-book an intra-operative frozen section may result in delays in reporting and in exceptional circumstances the request being declined.

When pre-booking an intra-operative frozen please provide the following details:

• Patient’s name and CHI number
• Requesting clinician
• Theatre name/number including hospital
• Likely time of operation
• Contact number
• Specimen type

The Consultant Pathologist will phone the result to the requesting clinician on the contact number given.

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH)

An intra-operative frozen section service is available Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm

Golden Jubilee National Hospital (GJNH)

An intra-operative frozen section service is provided, on site at GJNH, Monday to Thursday from 9:00am to 1:00pm. Any cases requiring a frozen section should be recorded on the GJNH theatre lists.

To arrange an intra-operative frozen section out with these times please contact the Duty Pathologist via Pathology Specimen Reception at QEUH on the telephone number below.

These specimens will be transferred to Pathology Department at QEUH for processing and should be sent by taxi to:

Specimen Reception (L3/B/021),

NHSGGC Pathology Department

Level 3, Laboratory Medicine and Facilities Management Building

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

Tel:  0141 354 9513 (89513) or 0141 354 9514 (89514)

It is the responsibility of staff at GJNH to arrange rapid transfer of these specimens to QEUH as per local protocol.

Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI)

An intra-operative frozen section service is available Monday to Friday within normal laboratory working hours, from 9am to 5pm.

This Laboratory is only manned for pre-booked requests. It is, therefore, imperative that frozen section requests for onsite analysis at GRI are received by the Pathology Department more than 24 hours in advance, by phone call.

From time to time an urgent frozen section is required due to an unexpected finding at surgery. The department provides this service, but for intra-operative frozen section requested on site at GRI, a short delay is inevitable to allow staff to travel.

Alternatively the specimen can be sent to QEUH urgently by courier by telephoning:

01412113734 or 01412113674 (Transport Hub) and following the information below for Transporting Urgent Fresh Specimens.

Labelling Frozen Section Specimens

The normal requirements for labelling specimens and request forms apply to frozen sections in addition to the following criteria on the request form:

• Hospital
• Theatre
• Date and time of request.
• Requesting clinician
• Alerts to known or suspected danger of infection
• Clinical History
• Theatre contact number

Transporting Urgent Fresh Specimens

QEUH site:

Fresh (unfixed) specimens should be sent directly to:

Specimen Reception (L3/B/021),

NHSGGC Pathology Department

Level 3, Laboratory Medicine and Facilities Management Building

Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

Tel:  0141 354 9513 (89513) or 0141 354 9514 (89514)

Other Sites

Fresh (unfixed) specimens taken at other sites out with stated service provision at GJNH and GRI should be sent directly to the Pathology laboratory at QEUH by courier.

The courier should be telephoned by theatre staff, telephone Eagle Couriers on 08451231230 at least 30 minutes before the specimen is available on the day of the operation.

 The information required by Eagle couriers includes:

• Hospital site
• Theatre collection point
• Advise that this is an “Emergency Pathology Specimen”.
• Codes used for each location should be as per local protocols.
• Please telephone Pathology Specimen Reception on 01413549513 or 01413549514 (89513 or 89514) when the courier is on the way

Fresh/Urgent Paediatric Specimens

Paediatric Rectal biopsies for diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease via Acetylcholinesterase histochemistry must be sent fresh (not fixed) as is done for frozen sections (see above).

Please ensure that for all specimens indicative of paediatric neoplasia/cancer/tumour that the paediatric team are notified (89531) in advance of submission and the specimens are submitted fresh/unfixed as is done for frozen sections (see above).

Fresh Lymph Nodes for Suspected Lymphoma

Excised lymph nodes, for suspected lymphoma should be bisected alone their long axis at the time of removal.

Half of the specimen should be placed into a sealed container with buffered formalin. The second half of the specimen should be placed in dry container, without formalin and sent “fresh” to the Pathology Department to allow ancillary testing to be undertaken.

It is particularly important that any Danger of Infection is recorded on the request form.

Follow the instructions above for Transporting Urgent Fresh Specimens.

Orthopaedic Amputations

The orthopaedic theatre should contact Pathology Specimen Reception at least 24hrs before procedure is scheduled on 01413549513 or 01413549514 (89513 or 89514) to request that a dedicated large amputation specimen container is sent to relevant theatre.

Specimens such as amputations that have a high ratio of surface area covered by skin should be sent unfixed. If there is a surgical stocking, leave in place.

Reasons for this are:

• Poor penetration of skin by formalin
• Moving and handling considerations

To contain potential leakage, put the amputation into a large plastic bag or wrap in drapes as appropriate and then put into the amputation container.  Never use yellow or orange bags or containers as this corresponds to the code for waste incineration.

Please follow the instructions for transporting urgent fresh specimens above. It is important to advise the courier that this is a large specimen (requires van rather than motorcycle courier).

Paediatric rectal biopsies for diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease do not need to be sent fresh. These specimens may be sent in formalin. There is no requirement to discuss these cases with the duty pathologist.

Paediatric tonsils do not need to be sent fresh unless there is a high clinical suspicion of malignancy. These specimens may be sent in formalin. There is no requirement to discuss these cases with the duty pathologist unless there is a high clinical suspicion of malignancy.

Please ensure that for all specimens indicative of paediatric neoplasia/cancer/tumour that the day duty pathologist is notified in advance of submission and the specimens are submitted unfixed as specified by the day duty pathologist’s instructions. All fresh specimens including frozen sections must be discussed directly with the day duty pathologist in advance of submission.

Urgent Paediatric Specimens

The following procedures must be followed for all urgent paediatric fresh specimens including frozen sections, fresh tumour biopsies and fresh tumour resections.

Any queries regarding urgent specimens should be directed to the duty Paediatric pathologist by telephoning the paediatric office on 89478 and asking to speak to the duty paediatric pathologist. If advice/assistance is urgently required out of hours, please contact switchboard who can contact a paediatric pathologist. The paediatric laboratory team may be contacted on 89531.

Discussion with the duty pathologist – All Cases

All cases must be booked in advance (ideally the day before) by telephoning 89478 and discussing the case and your requirements with the duty paediatric pathologist. Please provide patient details, including name and CHI number, date of surgery, approximate time of surgery and a contact number for theatre.

The surgeon or interventionalist performing the biopsy / resection must speak directly to the duty Paediatric pathologist prior to the procedure in every case to establish the specimen requirements.  Failure to follow this procedure may render the biopsy un-interpretable.

The instructions below are general instructions and must not replace a case by case discussion with the duty pathologist.

• Tissue for frozen section should be kept dry and placed in a suitable container labelled with the patient’s details (ideally a small plastic dish wrapped in a yellow plastic bag). Do not place small biopsies on paper or wrap them in gauze or paper.
• Unless indicated otherwise by the day duty pathologist, all fresh tumour biopsies should be placed in pink tissue culture fluid for transport to the laboratory.
• Unless indicated otherwise by the day duty pathologist, all fresh tumour resections should be kept dry and placed in a suitable container labelled with the patient’s details.

Transport to the Laboratory – All Cases

All fresh paediatric specimens must be conveyed immediately in person or by porter to pathology (3^rd floor, Laboratory Medicine Building). It is the responsibility of the surgical team to arrange urgent transport of the specimen to pathology. The sample must not be sent via the POD system and must not be placed in a purple bag. It must be taken directly to pathology specimen reception on the 3^rd floor. The specimen should be marked as “Urgent. Frozen section.” Staff transporting the specimen must inform specimen reception staff that it is an urgent fresh specimen for frozen section.

When the specimen leaves theatre, theatre staff must inform the laboratory by telephoning 89531.

Paediatric Renal Biopsies

The following procedures must be followed for all paediatric renal biopsies:

Discussions with the Duty Pathologist and the Laboratory

All Renal biopsies must be discussed with the Duty Paediatric Pathologist on 89478 as well as with laboratory staff on 89531 (see below).

These specimens will be collected in theatre by a biomedical scientist who will separate the sample for immunofluorescence and electron microscopy.  Notification of such biopsies to the laboratory must be done as far in advance of the biopsy as possible by telephoning 89531. Failure to do so may result in delay since staff will have to be available to attend theatre to undertake this procedure.

The placental request form is linked here

Criteria for Examination

The local criteria for placental examination are:

Stillbirth

Miscarriage > 14/40

Birth weight < 3rd centile

Drop in fetal growth of > 2 quartiles or > 50 percentiles

Absent or reversed EDF on umbilical artery Dopplers

Spontaneous preterm delivery or prolonged preterm rupture of membranes less than 32/40

Iatrogenic preterm delivery less than 32 weeks

Severe early onset (less than 32/40) pre-eclampsia requiring iatrogenic delivery

Massive abruption with retroplacental clot

Fetal hydrops

Severe fetal distress defined as: pH<7.05 or base Excess > -12 or scalp lactate >4.8mmol/l

Severe maternal sepsis requiring adult ICU admission

Severe fetal sepsis requiring ventilation / level 3 NICU admission

Caesarean hysterectomy for morbidly adherent placenta and

Monochorionic twins with twin to twin transfusion.

Required Data Terms

Listed below are the data items that are required for pathological examination of placentas. Obligatory data items are in bold and the remainder should be added as required. Please include these data items on the pathology request form accompanying the placentas.

Please write clearly on the forms

· Mother’s name

· Mother’s date of birth

· Address

· Hospital Number and CHI number

· Date of delivery

· Date placenta sent for pathology examination

· Referring Hospital

· Referring consultant

· Midwife or trainee doctor’s name and contact extension / bleep number

· Gravida and Parity

· Gestation

· Indication for examination (see below)

· Livebirth (Y/N):

· Birth Weight and Centile:

· Mode of delivery:

In cases of stillbirth / late miscarriage, page 2 of the placenta form must be completed by a doctor of ST7 or consultant level. Please provide the following information:

Presence or absence of maceration

Interval between IUD diagnosis and delivery

Additional clinical details including any relevant antenatal history

Placentas not Requiring Pathological Examination

Any placentas not indicated for placental examination by our local protocol do not need to be sent for pathology. If sent to pathology, they will be stored with no initial examination. A brief report indicating the placenta has been stored will be issued shortly after the placenta is received (generally within a fortnight). These placentas will be retained for 3 months in the pathology department prior to disposal. Full macroscopic examination with histology will only be performed on request with additional clinical details indicating why such examination is required.

Placentas with the following are not indicated for examination and do not need to be sent to pathology unless there are additional relevant indications:

• Pre-eclampsia with onset after 32/40 and not requiring iatrogenic delivery
• Maternal sepsis not requiring adult ICU admission
• Maternal pyrexia
• Possible abruption
• Fetal distress not fulfilling the following criteria: pH<7.05 or base Excess > -12 or scalp lactate >4.8mmol/l
• Maternal Group B streptococcus
• Maternal diabetes or other maternal disease with normal pregnancy outcome
• Known trisomy 13, 18, 21 / Turners
• Congenital anomaly
• Uncomplicated twin pregnancy
• Twin placentas for assessment of chorionicity
• “Gritty” placenta
• Placenta praevia
• Post-partum haemorrhage
• Polyhydramnios
• History of previous molar pregnancy
• Cholestasis
• Hepatitis B/C, HIV
• Single umbilical artery
• Uncomplicated velamentous cord
• Placenta with accessory lobe
• Normal pregnancy