Quality Control Of Surgical

Pathology Services

By
Dr.Amal Abd El Hafez
Lecturer Of Pathology
Faculty Of Medicine
Mansoura University
 Outline
• Definition of Quality
Assurance, Quality Control, and
Quality Improvement
• Phases of Quality Control
• Approach to Quality Control in
Surgical Pathology
• Standardization of Surgical
Pathology Reports
• Incorporation of IHC Results
into a Pathology Report
Definition of Quality Assurance, Quality
Control,
and Quality Improvement
• Quality assurance in pathology and laboratory
medicine is the practice of assessing
performance in all steps of the laboratory testing
cycle including pre-analytic, analytic, and post-
analytic phases to promote excellent outcomes
in medical care.
• Quality control is an integral component of quality
assurance and is the aggregate of processes and
techniques to detect, reduce, and correct
deficiencies in an analytical process.

• Quality improvement is the practice of continuously

assessing and adjusting performance using
statistically and scientifically accepted procedures.
Phases of Quality Control

Pre-analytic phase
Analytic phase
Post analytic phase
Turn around times
A. Pre-analytic Phase:
1. Specimen fixation
2. Specimen delivery
3. Specimen identification
4. Adequacy of clinical history
5. Accessioning errors
B. Analytic Phase:
1. Intra-operative frozen section
2. Frozen section – permanent section concordance
3. Final diagnosis
4. Peer review error rate
5. Quality of histologic sections
6. Specimens lost in processing
7. Histology turn around time (TAT)
8. Block labeling
9. Slide labeling
10. Extraneous tissue
11. Immunohistochemistry
Analytic Phase (cont.):
12. Frequency and causes of repeat IHC stains
13. Immunohistochemistry TAT
14. Integration of IHC stains with morphologic diagnosis
15. Annual review of antibody supply and frequency of use
16. Enrolment in external proficiency testing should be
considered particularly for tests that directly impact
patient therapy such as Her2/neu immunostaining.
17. Other ancillary study monitors may be used as needed,
include monitors for FISH, EM, other molecular studies.
C. Post-analytic Phase :
1. Transcription errors
2. Verification errors
3. Report delivery errors
4. Incomplete reports
5. Diagnostic finding correlation with ancillary
studies (IHC, EM, FISH)
D. Turn Around Times (TAT) For:
1. Frozen section
2. Biopsy
3. Large specimen
4. Preliminary and final autopsy reports
Approach to Quality Control in
Surgical Pathology
 Approach to Quality Control in
Surgical Pathology
Intradepartmental Consultation
Intraoperative Consultation
Random Case Review
Clinical Indicators
Intra- and Interdepartmental
Conferences
Pathology Turn around Times
Specimen Adequacy and
Histology QC
A. Intradepartmental Consultation:
This function is to be carried out through one or both of
the following mechanisms:
1 . Review of selected cases by the diagnostic staff
as a group, either through a periodic session ("consensus
conference") or a written consultation form.
The fact that this exercise has taken place should
be indicated in the pathology report.
 2. Review of selected cases by a second staff
pathologist ("consultant"). For those cases in which the
entire case is evaluated by the consultant, it is
recommended that both pathologists sign the report; for
cases in which only a portion of the cases has been
reviewed, it is recommended that a note to that effect be
added to the report.
B. Intraoperative Consultation:
It is recommended that all cases in which an
intraoperative consultation has been carried out be
reviewed on a regular (i.e., weekly) basis and be placed
according to their final disposition in one of the following
categories:
1. Agreement
2. Deferral - Appropriate
3. Deferral - Inappropriate
4. Disagreement - Minor
5. Disagreement - Major
 For all cases in the " Disagreement -- Major" and
"Deferral - Inappropriate" categories, it is recommended
that the reason for this occurrence be categorized as one of
the following:
1 . Interpretation
2. Block sampling
3. Specimen sampling
4. Technical inadequacy
5. Lack of essential clinical or pathologic data
6. Other (indicate)
 It is further recommended that the medical
consequence of the cases included in the "Disagreement-
Major" or "Deferral-Inappropriate" categories be listed as
one of the following: 1. None
2. Minor/questionable
3. Major
An acceptable accuracy threshold for
intraoperative consultations (as measured by the number
of "Disagreement Major" cases and determined per case)
is 3% ; an acceptable threshold for "Deferred-
Inappropriate" cases is 10%.
C. Random Case Review:
It is recommended that the following cases be
reviewed on a random basis:
•Surgical Pathology: 1% or 25/month, whichever is larger
•Autopsy: 10% or two/month, whichever is larger

The review on the randomly selected cases should

include all material related to them, including final report,
microscopic slides, turnaround time, and special
procedures, if any.
D. Clinical Indicators:
It is recommended that a clinical indicator be
selected on a regular basis on the basis of organ/ lesion
(i.e., carcinoma of endometrium) or procedure (i.e.. TUR),
and that all cases belonging to that indicator in a given
period be evaluated by checking them against a list of
predetermined criteria. This activity should be rotated
among surgical pathology and autopsy cases.
E. Intra- and Interdepartmental Conferences:
For all cases presented at intra- and
interdepartmental conferences, it is recommended that the
diagnosis as listed in the final report be compared with
that made by the presenter when reviewing the case for the
conference.
F. Inter-institutional Review:
For cases in which an outside review has been
carried out at the request of the patient, the clinician or
other institution, it is recommended that the diagnosis as
listed in the final report be compared with that made at
the outside institution.
An acceptable threshold for clinically significant
disagreement is 2%, as applied to those cases in which it is
decided that the correct interpretation is that from the
outside institution.
G. Surgical Pathology Turnaround Times:
The followings are acceptable turnaround times for
surgical pathology reports, as measured in working days
from the time the specimen is accessioned in the
laboratory to the time the verbal report is available or the
final report is signed.
Cytology 1 - 2 days
Biopsies 2 - 3 ,,
Surgicals 2 – 3,,
 Extra time should be allowed for the following
procedures, to be measured in days from the time the
procedure is initiated or ordered and independently from
each other:
Overnight fixation 1day
Decalcification 1 ,,
Re-submission 1-2 ,,
Re-cuts 1 ,,
Immunocytochemistry 1-2 ,,
Electron microscopy 2-3,,
Intradepartmental consultation 1,,
I. Specimen Adequacy:
It is recommended that the adequacy of submission
of specimens to the laboratory be monitored in terms of
fixation, safety requirements, and proper identification.

J. Lost Specimen:
This is defined as the irreversible loss of a surgical
pathology specimen that has occurred after the case has
delivered to the laboratory and that prevents an adequate
pathologic examination of that specimen. The Association
estimates that an acceptable threshold for lost specimens
is one in 3,000 cases.
K. Histology QC:
It is recommended that the QC related to the
histology lab include:
1. Record of time of delivery of slides
2. Evaluation of slide quality as performed by the
pathologist
3. Evaluation of tissue adequacy as performed by
the histo-technologist
Standardization of Surgical Pathology
Reports
 Standardization of Surgical Pathology
Reports
Demographic And Specific
Information
Gross Description
Microscopic Description And
Comment Section
Intraoperative Consultation
Final Diagnosis
General Considerations
A.Demographic And Specific Information:
1. Placing all demographic information in the top
portion of the report including: patient's name, location,
gender, age and/or date of birth, and race.
2. The requesting physician's name, the attending
physician's name (if different from the requesting
physician), and the medical record or unit number.
3. Printing the name, address, telephone number,
and FAX number of the laboratory at the top of the
surgical pathology report.
Demographic And Specific Information (cont.):
4. Placing the surgical pathology number in the top
portion of the report on every page.
5. Summary of the relevant clinical history as part
of every surgical pathology report.
6. Including a separate "specimens submitted"
section in every report in which each separately identified
tissue submitted for individual examination and diagnosis
is clearly identified and listed as a separate specimen.
Standardized Surgical Pathology Report Demographic And
Specific Information
B. Gross Description:
1. Surgical pathology report must include an
adequate gross description of specimens.
2. Each separately identified tissue specimen
submitted for individual examination and diagnosis
should have its own gross description.
3. Whether "part" or "all" of the specimen has
been submitted for microscopic examination should
always be recorded in the gross description.
Gross Description (cont.):
4. Identifying each block with a unique number or
letter. Giving multiple blocks the same identification
number of letter is discouraged.
5. A summary listing the sites from which each
identified block is taken should be placed at the end of
the gross description.
6. Complex specimens need further identification
by drawings, photographs, xerographs, etc.; but these
illustrative records should not replace the block
identification summary recommended above.
Gross Description (cont.):
7. Recording in the gross description the fact that
margins are inked or labelled with threads.
8. Recording the distribution of tissue for special
studies in the gross description.
9. Including in the pathology report, when slides or
blocks or tissues are received from another laboratory,
the numbers of the slides and blocks, the referring
hospital's identification numbers or letters, and the
referring hospital's demographic data.
C. Microscopic Description And Comment Section:
Microscopic description is defined as a description
of the cytologic features and the architectural
arrangement of the cells in a histologic section.

A comment refers to all other relevant information.

It is optional to place microscopic descriptions and

comments in separate sections or to combine them.
Microscopic Description And Comment Section (cont.):
1. Recording microscopic features whenever the
responsible pathologist deems it appropriate, but a
microscopic description need not be a part of every
report.
2. Placing comments into the report whenever the
responsible pathologist considers they are indicated,
but a comment need not be written for every case.
3. Designating that "special" stains have been
performed, listing each stain and the results of the
staining in the microscopic or comment section.
Microscopic Description And Comment Section (cont.):
4. Listing, when immunohistochemical stains have
been performed, each antibody tested and the results of
the staining in the microscope or comment section, in a
separate immunohistochemical report, or both.
5. Grading all tumors for which grading has been
shown to be a significant prognostic variable. When a
grade is given, the grading criteria or scheme should be
recorded in a comment or in the diagnosis line unless
the grading scheme is standard and well understood by
all clinicians.
Microscopic Description And Comment Section (cont.):
6. Using a "checklist" for recording information
needed for patient treatment and prognosis.
Whether each item on the checklist is positive or
negative should be made.
The checklist includes for example: grade, depth of
invasion, presence or absence of vascular invasion, size
of the tumor and type of tumor. It is often different for
different types of resection specimens.
Microscopic Description And Comment Section (cont.):

7.The condition of resection margins should be

recorded if clinically indicated.
8. All information needed to formulate the
pathologic stage of a cancer must be present in the
report, but this information need not be recorded by a
number of letter per se. If a stage number or letter is
recorded, then the system used should be specified.
D. Intraoperative Consultation:
It is recommended that the intraoperative
consultation report be incorporated exactly into the
final report.
The persons responsible for the intraoperative
report should be identified.
If there is a discrepancy between the intraoperative
diagnosis and the final diagnosis, this discrepancy
should be recorded and discussed in a comment.
E. Final Diagnosis:
1. Specifying the organ, site, and procedure as well
as the diagnosis in the diagnosis section.
2. Standardizing the format of diagnoses within
each pathology department.
3. Setting off anatomic diagnoses so that they can
be quickly and easily identified.
4. Listing each separately identified tissue
submitted for individual examination and diagnosis in
the diagnosis section along with the anatomic diagnosis
for that specimen.
F. General Considerations:
1. Doing a search for prior histologic and cytologic
accession numbers for each case and recording
important prior specimen numbers in the current
surgical pathology report.
2. Incorporating the results of special studies such
as electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, flow
cytometry, receptor status, data, etc., into the surgical
pathology report whenever possible.
General Considerations (cont.):
3. Recording in the pathology report procedures other
than routine handling of tissue, such as gross photography,
decalcification, specimen x-ray and freezing of samples.
4. Documenting intradepartmental consultations in
the surgical pathology report by having the consultant
cosign the report.
5. Noting when external consultation is initiated by
the pathologist. When the consultant's report is received, a
supplemental report containing the consultant's
interpretation should be issued.
General Considerations (cont.):
6. Citing references in the surgical pathology report
when significant.
7. Suggestions for additional studies or procedures in
the surgical pathology report if the pathologist thinks they
will contribute to the case.
8. Note clearly when an amended report is issued.
Changes that have been made in the report should be
specified if the new report is a complete one.
9. Including the date the specimen was received and
the date of the final report in all surgical pathology reports.
Incorporation of IHC Results into
a Pathology Report
 1. Immunostaining results should always be reported,
regardless of perceived significance.
2. Ideally such information should be included in the
original main report (surgical, cytology, or autopsy);
however, due to time constraints, it may be necessary to
report immunostaining separately. When the latter method
of reporting is used, it is essential that the initial report
state that such studies are awaiting, and likewise, it is
essential that the separate report refer to or even include
the original report.
 3. A differential diagnosis justifying immuno-staining
methods should be provided in the report. Reference to
differential diagnosis may be very brief or general, for
example, "anaplastic large-cell neoplasm of uncertain
differentiation" or "epithelial versus lymphoid nature."
4. The nature of the studied sample, e.g-, paraffin
sections, frozen sections, aspiration biopsy smears, cellular
imprints, cytocentrifuge preparations, should be mentioned.
5. The immuno-reagents used should be specifically
described, e.g., "HMB-45" rather than simply "melanoma-
related antigen."
 6. Results of the staining for each antibody should be
reported in detail sufficient to justify the interpretation,
e.g., positive or negative, intensity of staining, percentage
of stained cells, cellular patterns of staining or localization
of some stain reactivity to certain cellular compartments.
7. Detailed technical information regarding the
immuno-staining procedures, including fixation, enhancing
methods such as enzyme predigestion, etc., need not be
included in the diagnostic report but should be available in
permanent laboratory records.
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• College of American Pathologists, 2010.
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