A pathology report is a detailed written account of test results that becomes a permanent part of your health record.
The pathologist prepares this report after:
- Testing body fluid, cells, and tissue samples.
- Assessing the results.
- Coming to a diagnosis.
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What's in a Pathology Report?
Most pathology reports include:
- Your name, birth date, and other vital data about you.
- A brief medical history.
- Tissue descriptions.
- A diagnosis.
- Results of any other tests.
Detailed descriptions of your sample
The pathology report will include descriptions of:
- The fresh tissue sample, including its:
- Size.
- Weight.
- Appearance.
- The sample after processing - how it appears on a glass slide when viewed with a microscope.
- Whether the tissue sample is normal or abnormal and may include the words:
- Benign for a normal finding.
- Malignant for a cancerous growth.
In the case of cancer, the report may also include:
- The results of tests designed to find the cancer's site of origin, such as the lung or breast.
- What type of cancer we found, such as melanoma, breast cancer, or lymphoma?
Other tests can tell us if the cancer has spread or give us facts about prognosis.
Your doctor will use this report to manage your disease and create a treatment plan.
Receiving and Reading The Results of Your Pathology Report
The pathology report may be ready in as soon as two or three days after your test.
If you need further testing of the tissue, the results may take longer (between seven and 14 days).
Pathologists write their reports in technical language using many medical terms.
Your doctor can:
- Explain any words or details that you don't understand.
- Put the contents of the pathology report into perspective.
- Talk to you about what the test results and diagnosis mean for you and your treatment plan.
