Pathology Department Services at the Palo Alto Cetner

The Pathology Department offers comprehensive services in surgical pathology, cytology and fine needle consultation. Our staff includes board certified pathologists, cytotechnologists, histology technicians, laboratory assistants and administrative support staff members. The Department processes and makes diagnoses on cell and tissue specimens for all Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) clinic locations, as well as the Surgecenter and Menlo Park Surgical Hospital.

Histology (Surgical Pathology)

The Pathology Department performs histology (tests), to identify disease in surgically excised tissue specimens. Anatomic pathologists study the organization of tissues at all levels, from the whole organ (macroscopic or gross examination) down to the microscopic components of cells. The Department processes and makes diagnoses on 17,000 tissue specimens per year.
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Cytology

The Department also performs a variety of cytologic procedures. Cytology is the microscopic study of cell samples from various body sites for the detection and diagnosis of disease. Cytology originated as a method of detecting cancer of the cervix (the Pap smear). The discipline has since expanded to include cancer diagnoses in most body areas. The department examines more than 32,000 cytology specimens each year.

The most common cytologic tests are the ThinPrep Pap test and fine needle aspiration. PAMF uses ThinPrep technology to perform Pap tests for the early detection of pre-malignant and malignant cervical disease. This test is a significant improvement over the conventional Pap smear developed and implemented in the 1940s. PAMF was the first clinic in Northern California to offer the ThinPrep Pap test to all its women patients.
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Licensure and Certification

PAMF's pathology laboratory is licensed by the State of California's Department of Health Services and certified as a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment) laboratory.
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