ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS
Fundamental Knowledge

1.Diagnosis of most common organ specific malignant tumors, according to NCI statistics (using variety of tissue/cytology specimens, such as needle biopsy, brushing, fine needle aspiration), and benign mimics
 a. Bladder
    Benign mimics of urinary bladder malignancy
   Nephrogenic adenoma, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, inverted papilloma, von Brunn’s nests, radiation atypia, florid cystitis glandularis, polypoid cystitis
 b. Breast
    Benign mimics
    Sclerosing adenosis, intraductal papilloma, radial scar, nipple adenoma
  c. Endometrial
    Benign mimics
    Endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial metaplasia (squamous/morular, mucinous, papillary syncytial)
  d. GI
    Benign mimics, pre-malignant lesions
    Barrett’s esophagus and Barrett’s dysplasia, IBD with dysplasia, endometriosis, malakoplakia
  e. Kidney
  f. Leukemia, myeloid, lymphoid
    Myelodysplasia
  g. Lung and Pleura
  i. Carcinoma vs Mesothelioma vs Pleuritis
 h. Lymphoma
    Benign mimics of lymphoma
    Kikuchi’s lymphadenitis, follicular hyperplasia, progressive transformation of germinal centers, infectious mononucleosis
 i. Melanoma
    Benign mimics
     Spitz nevus, recurrent nevus, dysplastic nevus, halo nevus
 j. Pancreas
 k. Prostate
    Benign mimics
     Adenosis, atrophy, Cowper’s glands, nephrogenic adenoma, radiation, basal cell hyperplasia, mesonephric remnants, paraganglia
 l. Skin (non-melanoma)
 m. Thyroid
 n. Other
  i. Hepatobiliary
     Benign mimics of hepatocellular carcinoma Focal nodular hyperplasia, Hepatocellular adenoma, macroregenerative nodules
   ii. Ovary
     Primary versus metastatic ovarian lesions
   iii. Oral/ Maxillofacial, and major salivary glands
   iv. Thymus
   v. Adrenal

2.Biopsy interpretation and reporting
 a. Cervical/endometrial/vulvar biopsy interpretation
 b. CNS neoplasms
 c. Core needle biopsy of breast
 d. Core needle biopsy of prostate
 e. Core needle biopsy of soft tissue
 f.  GI neoplastic and medical disease
 g. Liver needle biopsy
 h. Lung biopsy (Transbronchial and percutaneous)
 i. Pleural/peritoneal biopsy

3.Cytology
 a. Cervical
 b. Body fluids
 c. Thyroid FNA

4.Billing, coding, CLIA regulations

5.Reporting/Handling of major resection specimens

6. Application of FISH (RT-PCR) to tumor diagnosis and prognosis

7. Application of immunohistochemistry in anatomic pathology
 a. Understanding of causes of false + and – immunostains

8. Handling of infectious cases

This page was last modified on February 13, 2008.