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Department of Pathology Department of Pathology

Anatomic Pathology

  1. Department of Pathology
  2. Divisions
  3. Anatomic Pathology

About Anatomic Pathology

Oluwole Fadare, M.D.
Chief, Division of Anatomic Pathology

The Division of Anatomic Pathology (AP) has long promoted excellence in diagnostic services, teaching, and research. Our expert pathologists are key participants in health care provided to patients by the physicians of UC San Diego Health. By analyzing tissues, body fluids, and exfoliated cells, anatomic pathologists make precise diagnoses, define the extent and severity of disease, assess the completeness of excisions, predict responsiveness to selected therapeutic options, determine the cause of death, and in some instances, utilize tumoral characteristics to highlight the possibility of genetic syndromes. We offer highly specialized diagnostic services in all major specialty and subspecialty areas, using clinicopathologic correlation, detailed gross evaluation, traditional light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, molecular genomics, electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and specialized cytopathology testing. As a group, we continuously strive for excellence in all aspects of the tripartite mission, and we take pride in providing the best possible care for our patients.

Division Sections

The AP Division at the UC San Diego is organized into 3 highly inter-woven sections:

  1. Anatomic Pathology Clinical Services: Each year, the AP Division evaluates approximately 41,000 surgical pathology, 23,000 cytology, and 100 autopsy cases (accessions). All cases are reviewed by skilled and experienced subspecialist pathologists in 11 subspecialty teams, an approach that provides patients with the best care and physicians with ideal collaborative relationships for bench-to-bedside investigation.
  2. Anatomic Pathology Laboratories: The clinical practice is supported by several state-of-the-art laboratories at UC San Diego Health, including laboratories located at Jacobs Medical Center, Hillcrest Medical Center, and Koman Family Outpatient Pavilion, as well as by support services at UC San Diego East Campus Office Building. Laboratories at these facilities include macroscopic centers (gross rooms), immunohistochemistry, histology, cytology, electron microscopy, autopsy and immunofluorescence laboratories.
  3. Anatomic Pathology Consultations and Case Referral Services: The AP Division offers second opinions in the following subspecialties: 1) breast pathology, 2) genitourinary pathology, 3) gastrointestinal/ hepatobiliary pathology, 4) gynecologic pathology, 5) medical renal pathology, 6) head, neck and cardiothoracic pathology, 7) soft tissue and orthopedic (sarcoma) pathology, 8) perinatal pathology, 9) cytopathology. A robust case referrals unit handles consultations, extramural testing, as well as pathologic material for patients whose clinical care is being transferred into or out of UC San Diego Health. This unit also coordinates the activities of the AP Division where they interface with clinical trials and external investigators.
    1. To submit a request for a second opinion, send pathology material (slides and blocks) via overnight shipping to:
      • UC San Diego Health, Anatomic Pathology/Case Referrals
        9444 Medical Center Drive, Suite 1-200, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
      • Please include: 1) a copy of the pathology report, even if incomplete (for non-English reports, include an English translation); 2). Insurance or private payer information; 3) a cover letter outlining the relevant clinical history and whether review by a particular pathologist is being requested.

Specimens & Testing

  1. For specimen submission information and other testing requirements, please see the Laboratory Services Guide at UC San Diego Health search
  2. Life cycle of a specimen: Specimens are processed in a way that allows for microscopic and other analysis of cells and tissues on glass slides, a multi-faceted procedure whose total duration may vary substantially, depending on the specific analysis that is required. This intricate process requires the combined efforts of dozens of highly skilled professionals that routinely work with thousands of samples on a continuous basis. For the most common type of specimen, the 5 steps of that process are outlined below:
    1. Sample is obtained from the patient and is submitted to the laboratory
    2. Sample is processed in the gross rooms (accession, documentation, including photographing, description, formalin fixation, decalcification, macroscopic analysis, including cutting and correlation with clinical findings, sampling in blocks).
    3. Sample processing in Cytopathology or Histology laboratory: For tissues, routine histologic processing (additional fixation, dehydration, clearing, paraffin (wax) infiltration of the tissue, embedding and the creation of blocks, microtomy, floatation, mounting and drying, staining of slides); specialized primary processing for some specimens, including electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, enzyme histochemistry.
    4. Slide review by the pathologist or cytotechnologist using light microscopy. Additional testing may be required as part of the diagnostic process, or to provide prognostic and/or predictive information.
    5. A preliminary or finalized report is released into the electronic health record.
  3. To check the status of pathology reports, call the AP main line (see Blink).

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