Histopathology

We are located at St James’s University Hospital site and address for all types of Cellular Pathology specimens is,

Department of Cellular Pathology

Bexley Wing, Level 5,
St James’s University Hospital,
Beckett Street,
Leeds,
LS9 7TF

We offer the following histopathology services:

Routine and urgent surgical histopathology
Frozen sections
Immunohistochemistry (including Her2 testing)
Immunofluorescence Techniques
Specialist Histopathology: Muscle and Nerve Histochemistry
Molecular Pathology, detection of BRAF mutation at Codon 600 using in house prepared FFPE sections on the Idylla TM system
Non-gynaecological Cytopathology diagnostic service

Please download the Specimen Requirements for Molecular Testing for further information:

Specimen Requirements for Molecular Testing Document

Special Instructions

Tissue Collection

10% Formal Saline is the routine fixative used for all histopathology specimens. The volume of fixative must be appropriate to the size of the sample.

The exceptions to fixed tissue are:

Must be received fresh, as soon as possible.

Place in isotonic saline or Michel’s medium and send to lab as soon as possible.

Must be received fresh or placed in Michel’s medium, and sent to the lab as soon as possible.

Must be received fresh, as soon as possible. A limited examination on both muscle and nerve biopsies may be performed on fixed tissue.

Samples may be dropped off fresh (i.e. not in formal saline) between the hours of 7.30 am and 7.00pm Monday to Saturday to be placed into formal saline by laboratory staff. Any sample that needs to be placed in formal saline and cannot be brought to the laboratory immediately should be refrigerated and delivered to the laboratory at the earliest opportunity during opening hours.

Please give 24 hours notice wherever possible. Please call the laboratory again when the specimen is being dispatched.

Inform the laboratory as above and use the “Blue Light” service to deliver the specimen directly to the Bexley Wing laboratory.

High Risk Specimens Requiring Frozen Sections

Please download either of the following documents for your review:

The Protocol for booking high risk frozen sections Document

The Protocol for further information on frozen section service Document

Muscle and Nerve Biopsies

Muscle for histological and histochemical analysis can be sampled as either an open biopsy or a needle biopsy.

The Histopathology Laboratory must be informed by telephoning 0113 2064710 when a muscle / nerve is being sent and also of the expected time of arrival. Biopsies should arrive no later than 4.00pm.

Further information can been found on the protocol for sending muscle and nerve biopsies by downloading the:

Muscle and Nerve Biopsy Protocol Document