What the Path

Meningiomas

Most common of all the brain tumours. More common in women or previous radiation.

Arises from the meninges of dura mater and choroid plexus, so will find them on the brain surface or in ventricles.

Rarely seen as multiple masses.

Mostly benign.

Macro

Looks like a little brain - round, well circumscribed, peels off the brain easily, has dura attached.

Micro

Architecture: looks like a whorl.

Cells: rounded nuclei with eosinophilic cytoplasm. 

Pseudoinclusions may be in the nucleus. 

Some psammoma bodies.

Cyto

...

Stains

...

WHO grades

Grade 1 benign: ...

Grade 2 increased likelihood of recurrence: ...

Grading based on 4 features:

Nuclear atypia

Mitoses

Microvascular proliferation

Necrosis

WHO Grades

Grade 1 tumours: infiltrating astrocytomas (not diffuse).

Grade 2 Diffuse Astrocytoma: looks like ill-defined intra-axial masses that are grey to gelatinous. On micro tumour cells aggregate near neurons and vessels. No mitosis, microvascular proliferation or necrosis.

Grade 3 Anaplastic Astrocytoma: looks like grade 2 AND has mitoses. No microvascular proliferation or necrosis.

Karyolysis = lysis of nucleus in irreversible cell death. (Nuclear fading)

Karyorrhexis = fragmentation of nucleus in irreversible cell death. (Nuclear fragmentation)

Pyknosis = condensation of nucleus in irreversible cell death. (Nuclear shrinkage)

Dysplasia vs Metaplasia = change in cell type, but dysplasia is an abnormal change.

Cribriform = pierced with lots of small holes.

Papillary = a little projection. The core is usually fibrovascular.

Micropapillary = a very small projection but usually without fibrovascular core.

Trabecular = like lines and lines of things.

Amorphilic = stains both acid and basic dyes

Normal epithelium by systems... (summary of Wheater’s)

Linings

Endothelium - simple squamous

Mesothelium - simple squamous

Skin

Epidermis - stratified squamous (mostly keratinising)

Respiratory

Nose - pseudostratified ciliated columnar

Sinus - pseudostratified ciliated columnar

Epiglottis - stratified squamous

Respiratory tract - pseudostratified ciliated columnar

Alveoli - simple squamous

Breast

Breast - compound glandular.

GIT & its parts

Oral cavity - stratified squamous

Epiglottis - stratified squamous

Oesophagus - stratified squamous

Liver - glandular

Gallbladder - simple columnar

Pancreas - glandular ( exocrine, endocrine)

Stomach - simple glandular

Brunner’s glands - compound glandular

Colon - simple glandular

Anus - stratified squamous

Large ducts of exocrine glands - stratified cuboidal

Small ducts of exocrine glands - simple cuboidal

Renal & Urinary

Bowman’s capsule - simple squamous

Renal collecting tubules - simple cuboidal

Renal collecting ducts - simple columnar

Loop of Henle - simple squamous

Renal pelvis - transitional

Urters - transitional

Bladder - transitional

Urethra - transitional

Reproductive Systems

Prostate - compound glandular

Rete testis - simple cuboidal

Glans penis - stratified squamous

Ovary surface - simple cuboidal

Fallopian tubes - simple ciliated columnar

Endocervix - simple columnar

Cervix, vagina, vulva - stratified squamous

Endocrine & Glandy stuff

Adrenal - glandular

Anterior pituitary - glandular

Eccrine sweat glands - simple glandular

Sebaceous sweat glands - compound glandular

Thyroid - glandular

Salivary glands - glandular (compound glandular is small salivary glands)

Special Senses

Great tip on how to study effectively.

I find the revision part takes me a lot longer because I have such poor memory.

CAP Guidelines

Dermnet

Libre Pathology

Pathology Outlines

Pathology Resident Wiki

RCPA Macro Cut Up Manual

UNSW Embryology - Histology

Webpath

Yale - Cell Biology (general summaries)