Histopathology Laboratory Service
The Department of Pathology provides histopathology services to professorial surgical unit, professorial gynaecology unit, professorial medical unit and professorial paediatric unit of NCTH. We receive about 2500-3000 samples including biopsies per annum. Endoscopic biopsies, all types of gastrointestinal and hepato-biliary-pancreatic neoplasms, thyroid lesions, mastectomies, endometrial biopsies and curettings, gynaecological neoplasms forms the main categories of samples that we receive. In addition we receive samples from dermatology unit, oro-maxillary-facial unit and orthopaedic unit of NCTH. Special requests are accepted from other hospitals around the country.
Histopathology reporting is undertaken by four honorary Consultant Histopathologists.
Expert opinion is provided on referral cases in the fields of gastrointestinal and liver pathology, soft tissue and bone pathology and gynaecological, pathology.
Cytopathology laboratory service – FNAC and PAP
Cytolopathology is another type of service available in/provided by our Department. By reporting on these various types of cytology samples which can be obtained easily, quickly and inexpensively we provide valuable information to the clinician.
We report on two types of cytology samples namely, fine needle aspirations cytology and exfoliative cytology samples.
For fine needle aspiration the patients are referred from the professorial units of the Colombo North teaching hospital and this test is performed at the Department of Pathology. This is a test that can be performed for any lesion that is palpable. Breast and thyroid lesions are most frequently requested for this procedure. Other sites include lymph nodes, salivary glands and various accessible lumps. Prior patient preparation is not needed. With the use of a 23 G needle and a 10cc syringe a cytology sample is obtained from the lesion. Slides are prepared from the samples obtained, kept in a fixative and stained with routine haematoxylin and eosin stains. Routine reports are sent to the clinic/ward within 2 weeks. Urgent reports can be issued within two hour.
The exfoliative cytology samples are sent from the professorial unit. These samples are obtained into plain bottles and are transported to the pathology laboratory as soon as possible to avoid degenerative changes that could result in interpretation difficulties.The commonly received samples are body fluid (peritoneal and pleural fluid) ,urine, sputum and cerebrospinal fluid. The sediment obtained from the cyto-centrifuged fluid sample is used for preparation of smears. These smears are also stained with Haematoxylin and eosin.
Cervical smears examination as a screening for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia is another type of cytology service provided by our Department. We receive the unstained, prepared cervical smears form the Well woman clinic of the CNTH. Papanicoulaeu staining is used for these cervical smears.
Annually we perform and report approximatedly 600 Fine needle aspiration samples, report 400 cervical smears and 200 fluid samples. The reports are sent either to the clinic or to the ward from which the samples are received.
Paediatric Autopsy service
The department provides the perinatal pathology service to the obstetrics and gynaecology unit and the paediatric unit of the Colombo North Teaching Hospital (CNTH). The service includes examination of the placenta and performing perinatal post mortems and expert interpretation of the relevant findings to provide the most likely underlying cause for the fetal / neonatal demise.
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Histopathology laboratory service | |
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Cytopathology laboratory service – FNAC and PAP | |
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Haematology laboratory service | |
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Biodosimetry laboratory | |
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Paediatric Autopsy Service | |
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Providing expert opinion on reference cases in | |
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Gastrointestinal and liver pathology | |
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Bone and soft tissue pathology | |
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Immunohistochemistry – assistance in research | |
Undergraduate Teaching
The department of pathology conducts lectures, practicals and tutorial classes for the 3rd and 4th year medical undergraduates.
Postgraduate Teaching
It is a recognized centre for training in Certificate course in Basic Laboratory Sciences, Diploma in Histopathology and Haematology and MD Histopathology and Haematology courses of the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine.
Training of students of other Institutions
We provide the laboratory training in histopathology and haematology for the NAITA(National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority) trainees and 4th year B.Sc.in Medical Laboratory Sciences students of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna.
Laboratory Services
The department provides honorary consultancy services in histopathology , cytopathology and haematology for the professorial units of the North Colombo Teaching Hospital.
Biodosimetry laboratory
The biodosimetry and cytogenetics laboratory of the department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine was established by a Technical Cooperation project No SRL 6031 of the International Atomic Energy Agency in 2010.
Immunohistochemistry services
The department is planning to provide the immunohistochemistry services to the community in the near future.
