Pathology

A Key Component of Accurate Disease Diagnosis

Pathology is a study of disease. It is a constantly growing and changing field and plays a key role in the diagnosis and research of disease and the monitoring of treatment. Pathology is a medical specialty that provides the scientific foundation for all medical practice. The pathologist works with each of the clinical specialties, using the tools of laboratory medicine to provide information essential to problem-solving in clinical practice. As such, the pathologist is the “doctors’ doctor.” Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport’s Pathology Department is a leader in the region with an extraordinary team of talented and dedicated academic and clinical staff members.

Our Pathology Specialties

Our anatomic pathology and clinical pathology departments, accredited by the College of American Pathologists and American Association of Blood Banks, boast a diverse list of subspecialties, a wide test menu and advanced instrumentation.

Our anatomic pathologists primarily work with samples from organs and tissues. Our anatomic pathology subspecialties include:

• Autopsy pathology (determining cause and manner of death)
• Breast pathology (the study of breast tissue samples to look for breast cancer and other breast diseases)
• Cytopathology (the study of cells to diagnose disease)
• Dermatopathology (the study of skin samples to diagnose disease)
• Gastrointestinal pathology (the study of diseases that affect the digestive tract and related organs, including the pancreas and liver)
• Gynecologic pathology (the study of diseases that affect the female reproductive system)
• Head and neck/endocrine pathology (the study of diseases that affect the head and neck region, as well as the body’s endocrine system)
• Hematopathology (the study of blood disorders and the organs and tissues involved in blood production)
• Medical renal pathology (the study of diseases that affect the kidneys)
• Neuromuscular and ophthalmic pathology (the study of diseases that affect the nerves and muscles, as well as the eyes)
• Pediatric pathology (the study of diseases that affect infants, children and teens)
• Pulmonary and thoracic pathology (the study of diseases that affect the lungs, trachea and chest wall)
• Transmission electron microscopy (a technique pathologists use to examine small specimens in order to study, understand and diagnose diseases)

Our clinical pathologists primarily work with bodily fluids, such as blood and urine. Our clinical pathology subspecialties include:

• Chemistry and special chemistry (the investigation of bodily fluids to diagnose and monitor diseases)
• Cytogenetics (the study of chromosomes — inherited materials within cells — and how they may factor into the development of certain diseases)
• Flow cytometry (the measurement of the physical and chemical characteristics of cells to gather information about diseases)
• Hematology/coagulation, including special coagulation (the study of blood and blood disorders)
• Microbiology, including mycology, mycobacteriology and parasitology (the study of infectious diseases, including those caused by fungi, bacteria and parasites)
• Molecular pathology (the examination of molecules within bodily fluids, organs or tissues in order to study and diagnose diseases)
• Transfusion services (working with patients who must receive blood because of an injury or disease)