Reports
After submitting specimens to Mbed, you will receive a systematic histopathology report detailing the histology findings. These reports can be tailored to the specific needs of individual projects. If you have submitted an entire animal for necropsy, you will receive a necropsy report as well as a histopathology report.
NECROPSY REPORTS will include the following:
- Animal identification including species, breed/strain, DOB
- Brief summary of the reason for specimen submission (eg. presenting clinical complaint, experimental manipulation)
- External Findings. This is an objective description of any lesions noted in the carcass on external examination (ie. before opening the carcass) and includes sex, weight and body condition.
- Internal Findings. This is an objective description of any lesions noted grossly/macroscopically in the internal organs.
- Interpretation. Here the pathologist will comment on any external and internal lesions noted in the context of the reason for submitting the specimen. Are there gross lesions that correlate with antemortem clinical signs or explain the animal's death? Are there gross lesions that resemble a particular disease process or suggest a particular underlying disease mechanism? In this section, the pathologist is answering the question, "What do the gross lesions mean while taking into account the bigger clinical or experimental picture?".
- Tentative Diagnosis. This is a preliminary diagnosis of the disease process suspected based on gross/macroscopic findings and is usually pending histopathology and possibly other diagnostic tests, such as immunohistochemistry, for confirmation.
HISTOPATHOLOGY REPORTS will include the following:
- Animal identification including species, breed/strain, DOB, sex and weight
- Brief summary of the reason for specimen submission (eg. presenting clinical complaint, experimental manipulation)
- Gross Description. This is a brief objective gross/macroscopic description of the submitted specimen.
- Histologic Description. This section lists all of the organs examined microscopically including the slide number for each organ, the number of sections examined for each organ and an objective description of any microscopic lesions noted. If no lesions are observed in a given organ, then this will be recorded as "No Significant Lesions" or "NSL". Results of histochemical or immunohistochemical stains may also be listed here if applicable.
- Interpretation. Here the pathologist will comment on any microscopic lesions noted in the context of the reason for submitting the specimen. Are there microscopic lesions that correlate with antemortem clinical signs, gross/macroscopic lesions or explain the animal's death? Are there microscopic lesions that resemble a particular disease process or suggest a particular underlying disease mechanism? In this section, the pathologist is answering the question, "What do the microscopic lesions mean while taking into account the bigger clinical or experimental picture?".
- Histologic Diagnosis. This is a diagnosis of the disease process suspected based solely on the observed microscopic lesions.
- Final Diagnosis. This is a bottom line diagnosis based on all of the information available to the pathologist.
In general, only abnormal macroscopic and microscopic findings are reported and commented on unless the absence of lesions has particular importance for a given submission (eg. lack of detectable bone tumors in a mouse model of osteosarcoma). More severe or clinically significant lesions and diagnoses are generally described or listed first, followed by those that are considered less relevant or incidental.
If there are specific measurements or observations of particular interest, we can develop custom reports that incorporate the needs of the client. It is important for us to know why you are submitting specimens, so that we can address your concerns and questions in our reports. An initial consultation with the pathologist prior to sample submission is a part of our service, and will address these specific needs.