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Laboratory Administration & Management of Pathology Practices

Topic name


Nat Pernick, M.D.

Last staff update: 20 December 2024

Copyright: XXXX-2024, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed Search: Diagnosis

See Also: Linked PathOut topic (if applicable), e.g., Surgical pathology topic template

Notes:
  • The chapter, section and title will be created by MediaGenesis based on the chapter page
    • The title will be based on what is in the admin section of the topic
    • For chapter, section and title, we will use ampersand (&) rather than "and"
  • List the main author first and the senior author second; we no longer designate the senior author separately
    • The order matters to the authors, so please follow it
  • Use this format when entering authors in the database (don't forget to include a <br> after each line):
    • Name (with middle initial, if they want), degree(s) - M.D., Ph.D., do not include certifications, like FCAP, or bachelor's degrees; ok to use PA (ASCP)
      Rank (Assistant Professor, etc)
      Titles (Director, Vice Chair)
      Department or Division
      University or Medical Center with University Name (translate to English if an English name is listed in google)
      Hospital if different than above line
      City, state, country
      Telephone
      Email
  • Resize author headshots to 900 x 1,200 px
  • Don't forget to add the Editorial Board Member, Deputy Editor-in-Chief and Editor-in-Chief (listed in that order) when they review
  • Copyright
    • We no longer include the (c)
    • New topics should have only the current year
    • Existing topics should have the range of years, ending with [cyear] (including pending topics)
      • First year in the range should stay the same
  • PubMed search
    • Aim for 20 - 100 results
    • To narrow down the results, you can add the following to the link (but not to the text):
      • [TI] or [title] (to search articles with a phrase in the title)
      • [TIAB] (to search articles with a phrase in the title or abstract)
      • pathology (to search articles that are pathology related)
      • "full text"[SB] (to search articles that have the full text available)
      • "free full text"[SB] (to search articles that are free to read)
      • review[PT] (to search review articles)
      • "last 5 years"[DP] (to search articles published in last 5 years)
  • Not all topics will include a "See Also"; change topics listed as "Related Topics" to "See Also"
  • Cite this page: we add the author names in the format indicated below; the system generates the rest of the citation
  • For a site specific lesion with main features described elsewhere, add the following under the PubMed search (e.g., see Plasmacytoma)
    • Note: [Topic] is described in detail at [Chapter - Topic]; this topic only describes features specific to the [organ]

Nat Pernick, M.D.
Table of Contents
General formatting notes | Definition / general | Essential features | Terminology | ICD coding | Epidemiology | Sites | Pathophysiology | Etiology | Diagrams / tables | Clinical features | Diagnosis | Laboratory | Radiology description | Radiology images | Prognostic factors | Case reports | Treatment | Clinical images | Gross description | Gross images | Frozen section description | Frozen section images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Virtual slides | Cytology description | Cytology images | Immunofluorescence description | Immunofluorescence images | Positive stains | Negative stains | Flow cytometry description | Flow cytometry images | Electron microscopy description | Electron microscopy images | Molecular / cytogenetics description | Molecular / cytogenetics images | Videos | Sample pathology report | Differential diagnosis | Additional references | Board review style question #1 | Board review style answer #1 | Board review style question #2 | Board review style answer #2
Cite this page: Lastname INITIALS, Lastname INITIALS. Topic name. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/chaptertopic.html. Accessed December 26th, 2024.
General formatting notes

General PathOut format
  • Do not add extra formatting unless necessary / try to avoid bold font, caps, etc.
  • Use as few words as possible to express an idea
  • Add spaces around symbols such as / > < but do not add spaces if it's a fraction or ratio
  • Remove articles (the, a) from the beginning of a bullet when possible
  • When using a verb without a noun to describe a disease, use the singular form (e.g., "displays" rather than "display")
  • If an author omits a section, keep the section and write "No information provided" to help editors see which sections are missing

Capitalization
  • Capitalize the first letter of the bullet (or subbullet, title, section, caption, legend, etc.)
  • Use lowercase for the rest of the text and after colons
  • Exceptions
    • These should always be capitalized, no matter where they are in the text
      • Proper nouns and medical terms requiring capitalization, such as genus (Candida), genes (BRAF), abbreviations (FISH), diseases named after a person (Epstein-Barr virus)
      • References (PubMed, other articles, books)
    • These should always be lowercase (even as the first word)
      • Pathology terms that require lowercase formatting, such as certain stains (p16, p21, p27, p40, p53, p57, p63) and molecular terminology, like translocations: t(11;14)
    • For Gram stain, "Gram" should be capitalized and we now also capitalize "Gram positive" and "Gram negative"

Spelling / specific words
  • Use American, not British spellings (tumor, not tumour; hematology, not haematology)
  • Spell out abbreviations, except for common ones such as CT, MRI, DNA, FISH, HIV, EBV, IHC, RT-PCR, RNA, PSA, PET, N:C ratio
    • Abbreviate units when used with numbers but spell out in text, e.g., "7 cm" but "measured in centimeters"
  • Use "mL" rather than "ml"
  • Change "and/or" to "or"
  • Change "+/-" or "±" to "variable" (in stains) or "with or without" (in cases where variable doesn't make sense)
  • Change "vs" to "versus"
  • Change "more than" or "greater than" to ">"
  • Change "less than" to "<"
  • Change "greater than or equal to" to "≥"
  • Change "less than or equal to" to "≤"
  • For symbols, use the HTML entity code, e.g., use &ge; for ≥, use &le; for ≤, etc. (see Entities for Symbols and Greek Letters)
  • Change the following terms named after people with Nazi ties (can include "(formerly + outdated term)" after the new term for clarity)
    • Wegener granulomatosis → granulomatosis with polyangiitis
    • Clara cell → club cell
    • Reiter syndrome → reactive arthritis
  • For race, use Black and White (singular); for plural, you can use Black and White population, people, patients, etc. (Medical Copy Editor can update)
    • Do not use Blacks or Whites (it's offensive)
    • Let Medical Copy Editor know if your topic contains terms such as "African American" or "Caucasian" to check references to verify correct usage of these terms
  • For magnification, use a lowercase x after the number, e.g., 40x rather than X40
  • For grade in CNS tumor topics, use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4) instead of Roman numerals (I, II, III, IV)
  • Use the format Trucut biopsy (capitalize the first letter, no hyphens)

Punctuation
  • Commas
    • Do not use oxford commas
    • Do not use commas before or after "but" "and" "or"
    • Include a comma after e.g. and i.e.
  • Periods
    • Do not end sentences with periods
    • Use periods for degrees such as M.D., Ph.D.
    • Use periods when abbreviating a country, e.g., U.S.
    • Use periods in terms that require them, e.g., et al., etc., spp., var.
  • Hyphens
    • Always use the hyphen (-) rather than the en dash (–) or em dash (—)
    • Remove hyphen from compound words and prefixes and format according to the following rules
      • Add prefix to the root without any spaces, e.g., change "post-operative" to "postoperative"
        • Exception: keep hyphen with no spaces to combine the prefix with a compound word, e.g., non-small cell carcinoma
        • Common prefixes include pre, post, non, pan, hypo, hyper, anti, etc. (these are not standalone words)
      • For interleukins, remove the hyphen without including a space, e.g., change "IL-2" to "IL2" and "IL-2R" to "IL2R"
      • For compound words, keep a space when removing the hyphen, e.g., change "year-old" to "year old" and "wild-type" to "wild type"
      • For compound words that are included in the dictionary as a single word, no space is needed, e.g., change "long-standing" to "longstanding"
      • For acronyms, remove the hyphen and use a space instead, e.g., change "B-ALL" to "B ALL"
      • For words where hyphens are required, add spaces around the hyphen, e.g., change "two-thirds" to "two - thirds"
      • To show a range of numbers, add spaces around the hyphen, e.g., 1 - 5 cm
    • Keep hyphen with no spaces added in the following cases
      • To combine 2 vowels, e.g., salpingo-oophorectomy
      • To add "-like" to the end of a word, e.g., osteoclast-like
      • To join 2 names, e.g., McCune-Albright syndrome
      • To join 2 colors, e.g., blue-green
        • Exception: no hyphen when a color ends in -ish, e.g., blueish green
      • For fusion genes and proteins, we no longer use a hyphen, e.g., FUS-CREB3L2, but instead use a double colon, e.g., FUS::CREB3L2
      • When root word is capital, e.g., non-Hodgkin
      • As a negative symbol, e.g., p53-
  • Slashes
    • Add a space on both sides of slash but not for fractions or ratios, e.g., "lesion / polyp" but "100 g/mL"
    • Use a slash rather than a hyphen for signaling pathways, e.g., "JAK / STAT pathway" and "PI3K / AKT / mTOR signaling pathway"
  • Quotation marks
    • Remove when possible (e.g., change "block-like" to block-like)
  • Apostrophes
    • For diseases named after a person, do not end with 's, e.g., change "Hashimoto's thyroiditis" to "Hashimoto thyroiditis"
    • Exception: include the apostrophe in Crohn's disease
  • Parentheses
    • For nested parentheses, replace inner parentheses with brackets, e.g., (transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP])
  • Colons
    • Remove colon before a subbulleted list (unless template indicates to use a colon)

Italics
  • Italicize genus and species and capitalize the genus, e.g., Candida albicans
    • Do not italicize the abbreviations spp. and var., e.g., Plasmodium spp. and H. capsulatum var. duboisii
  • Italicize genes, e.g., BRAF
    • Do not italicize mutations, e.g., BRAF V600E (V600E is the mutation, BRAF is the gene)
    • Italicize genes in tumor names as well, e.g., glioblastoma, IDH mutant
  • Do not italicize proteins, e.g., p16
  • Many genes and proteins have the same name, so italics are determined by context
    • Gene keywords: mutated, translocation, deleted, amplification, rearrangement, FISH
    • Protein keywords: immunohistochemistry, positive, negative, binds to
  • Do not italicize latin words, e.g., in situ

Bolding
  • Bold stains that do not have a link in stains and differential diagnosis sections, e.g., LEF1
  • Bold differential diagnoses that do not have a link, e.g., Benign reactive endocervical glands
    • Only bold the diagnosis and not any additional words or phrases
  • Bold the colon when it follows a bolded word, e.g., Vasculitis:
  • Try to avoid bolding other words throughout the text, e.g., Which of the following is not ("not" rather than "not") associated with...

Numbers
  • Spell out ordinal numbers, e.g., first, second, third
    • Exception: use numerals for book editions, e.g., 1st Edition
  • Use numerals for cardinal numbers, e.g., 3 tiered classification
    • Exception: spell out number if it is not countable / measurable or if it could be replaced by "a / an", e.g., one side of the cell
  • For approximations, use a tilde with no space before the number, e.g., ~5 cm
  • Use roman numerals for staging, e.g., stage IV
  • Change simple fractions to percentages when possible, e.g., change "one - third" to 33%
    • When needed, spell out fractions and include a hyphen with spaces around it, e.g., two - thirds

Bullets
  • Every section should be formatted with bullets, except for images, virtual slides, videos and board review questions / answers
  • Occasionally, there will be > 1 sentence for a bullet; combine them with a semicolon (do not use periods)
    • Or use subbullets
      • Or subsubbullets, if necessary
  • To format an unordered list, start with <ul>, add bullets as <li> and end the list with </ul>
  • For ordered lists, a class must be added to specify which type, then bullets are added as <li> and the list ends with </ol>
    • <ol class="liststyle1"> - numbers - 1.
    • <ol class="liststyle2"> - uppercase letters - A.
    • <ol class="liststyle3"> - lowercase letters - a.
    • <ol class="liststyle4"> - uppercase roman numbers - I.
    • <ol class="liststyle5"> - lowercase roman numbers - i.
    • "liststyle2" is used with Board review questions

References
Internal links
  • When another section is mentioned in the same topic (e.g., see Gross description), add an internal link
  • To do this, add an id in the section that will be linked to: <a id="topicgross"></a>
    • We used to use the format "chaptertopicsection" but now abbreviate it as just the topic and section
  • Add the link to the text by adding a # to the id (which is used as the href) and using the "scrollto" class
    <a href="#topicgross" class="scrollto">Gross description</a>
  • Add the URL to the link so that it also works in a new tab
    <a href="https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/chaptertopic.html#topicgross" class="scrollto">Gross description</a>
  • Test the link to make sure it works (e.g., see Gross description)
  • Don't use the code generated by the admin as these are unstable (e.g., #definitiongeneral168172 will change the next time a draft is saved)
  • To link to a specific section on a different page, use the id code and URL but no "scrollto" class is needed, e.g., to link to the molecular section on Ovary - fibroma: Molecular / cytogenetics description

Templates
Editing checklist
  • Top of page
    • Author information includes headshot (900 x 1,200 px), rank, title, university (or hospital), city, state, country, email and directory link
    • Copyright date is in correct format
    • PubMed search generates 20 - 100 results
    • Cite author is in correct format
  • Grammar / text
    • First letter of bullet is capitalized, other words are lowercase (unless capitals are required)
    • Articles (the, a, an) have been removed from the beginning of bullets whenever possible
    • Periods at end of sentences have been removed
    • Oxford commas have been removed
    • Commas before and after "but" "and" "or" have been removed
    • Genes have been italicized
    • Abbreviations have been expanded
    • Hyphens have been removed according to our rules
    • 's has been removed from diseases named after a person (e.g., Barrett's > Barrett)
  • Links
    • PubMed links have been cited as Journal Year;Volume:Page
    • Accessed date has been updated for non-PubMed links
  • Images
    • "Contributed by" heading is in font size 11 bold italics (<span class="f11bi">) with one <br> before and after the heading
    • There is a short caption under each image (< 4 lines of text)
    • Legends are included in the lightbox and follow our grammar / text rules
    • Images have been resized to 400 - 600 KB
    • Images have been edited using "autolevels"
  • DDx
    • Entity is linked to corresponding PathOut page or bolded if no page available
    • Colon is included after entity
    • All text after colon is formatted as subbullets
    • All stains are linked to corresponding PathOut stain page
  • Admin
    • Topic progress has been changed from 4 to 5 when draft is complete
    • Topic follow up date has been changed to 1 month from now
    • Comment has been added indicating that draft is complete
    • Page keywords and description have been added
  • Other
    • Each author has comments on their entry in the admin
    • Missing sections from template have been included with notes from author (doesn't need bullets)
    • On Pending Topics list, topic has green "FE" after it when sent for formatting (or blue "MC" when assigned to medical copy editor)
    • Deficiencies / questions have been listed / sent back

Publish topic checklist (after EIC / DEIC and Copy Editor review)
  • Save the original page as an "Old" topic
  • Remove the "0" from the url of the draft version
  • Keep the Topic Complete status as "In Progress"
  • No Topic Completion Date is added yet
  • Change Topic Progress to "7 - to second editorial review"
  • Change Topic Follow Up Date to 1 month from now
  • Add a comment indicating changes made
  • Publish the draft version live
  • Add the updated topic to the chapter TOC
  • Add topic link to the Published topics list

Completed topic checklist (after Editorial Board review)
  • Change Topic Complete status to "Complete"
  • Change Topic Completion Date to today’s date
  • Change the Topic Priority to "None"
  • Change Topic Progress to "--Select topic progress--"
  • Remove Topic Follow Up Date and Assigned Date
  • Remove Topic Progress Comment
  • Keep Touch Up designation as "Yes" or "No"
  • Add a comment indicating changes made
  • Publish the topic
Definition / general
  • 1 - 2 sentence summary of the topic
  • Sections included on this page are from the Surgical pathology template; see list of templates with corresponding chapters above
Essential features
  • 3 - 5 most important points, typically from clinical features, microscopic description or positive stains
Terminology
  • Other names used

Notes:
  • For diseases named after a person, do not end with 's, e.g., change "Hashimoto's thyroiditis" to "Hashimoto thyroiditis"
    • Exception: include the apostrophe in Crohn's disease
ICD coding
  • ICD-O: CODE - disease name
  • ICD-10: CODE - disease name
  • ICD-11: CODE - disease name

For multiple codes of the same type, use this format (no colon on main bullet, codes indented as subbullets)

  • ICD-O
    • CODE - disease name
    • CODE - disease name
  • ICD-10
    • CODE - disease name
    • CODE - disease name
  • ICD-11
    • CODE - disease name
    • CODE - disease name

Notes:
  • For the ICD-O PDF link, replace #page=94 with the page number the code is on, e.g., 9390/3
    • Page number is found at the top of the document; do not use the number in the lower right or left corner
    • If the ICD-O code is not found in the PDF file, search for a different link to use; if no link is found, bold the ICD-O code
    • Do not change the text of the ICD-O code to match the text in the PDF since the PDF is outdated (from 2013)
  • For the ICD-10, link to the appropriate code on the icd10data site, e.g., C4A
  • For the ICD-11, link to the appropriate code on the WHO site, e.g., FB80.0
    • Add postcoordination code to same link (if provided by author), e.g., FB80.0 & XK9J
    • Note: ICD-11 recently changed their URLs; be sure to use the updated URL
  • Be sure to add in the disease name associated with the code if the author didn't include it
  • Between the ICD code and disease name, be sure to use the hyphen (-) rather than the en dash (–) or em dash (—)
  • If an author includes a CPT code, please link here
    • If the code is not on the spreadsheet, please link to the general information page here
    • Do not link here because the code information is not free to access
  • If an author includes an HCPCS code, please link here
Epidemiology
  • Who gets the lesion
  • For male to female ratio, use M:F = #:# (fill in numbers, keep spaces around equal sign, e.g., M:F = 2:1)
  • For predominance, use M > F
  • For equal incidence, use M = F
  • For decade of onset, spell out ordinal number, e.g., seventh decade
  • For number of people affected per number of population, use numerals and commas with thousands, e.g., 1 per 1,000,000
  • For % of population, use numerals, e.g., 10%
  • For range, use a dash with spaces around it and only include percent sign or unit at end, e.g., 10 - 20% or 50 - 80 years
Sites
  • Sites of body affected
Pathophysiology
  • How the lesion arises; be sure to italicize genes if they are included, e.g., PTEN
Etiology
  • Causes of the lesion; be sure to italicize genes if they are included, e.g., PTEN
Diagrams / tables

Contributed by Name, Degrees

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Images hosted on other servers:

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Notes:
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • Add a <br> between the table and section header
  • If adding a table that does not have a thumbnail available, use the PathOut table thumbnail: https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/thumb/table.jpg
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
  • If adding in a table from an author's word doc, use the following table format
    • Start the table using <table class="tftable" cellpadding="3" border="1">
    • Add rows using <tr>
    • Add cells using <td>
    • Double borders will be added automatically
    • Width automatically adjusts as more text is added
      • To include a specific width in a cell, add width="#px" or width="#%", e.g., <td width="300px"> or <td width="20%">
    • To center text horizontally, use <td style="text-align:center">
    • To center text vertically, use <td style="vertical-align:middle">
    • To center text both horizontally and vertically, use <td style="text-align:center;vertical-align:middle">
    • <center> tags are obsolete, use style="text-align:center" instead
    • End the table using </table>

      Table title in bold (no italics)
      Heading Heading Heading
      Text text text text text Text text text text text Text text text text text
      Text Text Text
Clinical features
  • Anything clinical such as associations with other conditions
  • If associated with another topic on our site, link to the topic using this format: topic name, e.g., fibrous dysplasia
    • You can find associated topics by doing a site search
Diagnosis
  • How a diagnosis is made including imaging modalities and procedures utilized but not microscopic findings
Laboratory
  • Typical findings
  • Remember to expand abbreviations
  • For numbers, use numerals and commas with thousands, e.g., 15,000 cells/mm3
    • Use this superscript code so that it doesn't change the spacing of the line: <sup style="font-size: .83; line-height:0;">text</sup>
    • Use this subscript code so that it doesn't change the spacing of the line: <sub style="font-size: .83; line-height:0;">text</sub>
  • Leave a space between the number and unit, e.g., 100 ng/mL
  • If the unit is a fraction, do not put spaces around the slash, e.g., 46 U/mL
  • Use "mL" rather than "ml"
  • Abbreviate units when used with numbers but spell out in text, e.g., "7 cm" but "measured in centimeters"
Radiology description
  • Typical findings, each on a separate bullet
  • Common abbreviations are ok to use, such as CT, MRI and PET
  • Xray should be formatted with capital X and no space before ray
Radiology images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

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Images hosted on other servers:

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Notes:
  • Common abbreviations are ok to use, such as CT, MRI and PET
  • Xray should be formatted with capital X and no space before ray
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
Prognostic factors
  • Favorable or unfavorable prognostic factors
  • Section name is "Prognostic factors," not "Prognosis"
Case reports
  • 3 - 5 quality case reports, preferably recent cases
  • __ year old (man / woman / girl / boy) with ____ (reference)
    • Use boy or girl if < 18 years old
    • Use man or woman if ≥ 18 years old
    • Use male or female as an adjective before a noun, e.g., 42 year old male gardener
    • No dashes in "year old"
    • Reference at end of bullet
    • If the author doesn't include the age and gender, find it in the article and add it
    • Use "presented with" in past tense rather than "presenting with"
  • Examples:
  • Sort case reports in order of age, with youngest first
  • Put cases without specific age at end of list
  • When listing a PathOut Case, use this reference format (class="bl"): (Case #222)
  • For rare entities, it is acceptable to include case series; change the section heading to "Case reports & case series"
Treatment
  • General modes of treatment
  • If drug names are included, capitalize brand names but not general types, e.g., rituximab is lowercase but Rituxan is capitalized (if you aren't sure, google it)
Clinical images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

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Images hosted on other servers:

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Notes:
  • Includes intraoperative images or images of the patient
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • Does not include radiology images, which belong in the Radiology images section
  • Does not include gross images, which belong in the Gross images section
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
Gross description
  • Description of the excised specimen
  • For combined colors, use a hyphen with no space, e.g., yellow-green
  • For colors ending in -ish, do not hyphenate, e.g., grayish white
  • For size, use numerals with space between number and unit, e.g., 50 mm
  • To show a range, use a dash with spaces around it and include the unit after the last number, e.g., 1 - 13 cm
Gross images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

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Images hosted on other servers:

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Notes:
  • Images of excised specimen
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
Frozen section description
  • Description of features
Frozen section images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

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Images hosted on other servers:

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Notes:
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
  • For CNS tumor topics only, cytology and frozen section images should be grouped together in frozen section rather than separated (use heading "Intraoperative frozen / smear cytology images" for these)
Microscopic (histologic) description
  • Diagnostic criteria, histologic features, etc.
  • If associated with another topic on our site, link to the topic using this format: topic name, e.g., fibrous dysplasia
    • You can find associated topics by doing a site search
  • Remove quotation marks when possible (e.g., change "block-like" to block-like)
  • To show a range of numbers, add spaces around the hyphen, e.g., 1 - 5%
  • Add spaces around symbols such as / > < but do not add spaces if it's a fraction or ratio
Microscopic (histologic) images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

Format for all sections except for Micro images

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Format for Micro images

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Notes:
  • Images on our server
    • Format heading
      • Use the "Contributed by" heading (class="f11bi"), no colon at end
      • Heading should have one <br> before and one <br> after
      • Use periods for degrees such as M.D., Ph.D.
      • Include only the contributor's name and degrees, not their university or country
      • For multiple contributors, list their names separated by a comma in the same heading (the lightbox will indicate whose image it is)
      • If images are from an old PathOut Case, use the heading "Case #__" and link to the Case, e.g., Case #300
        • For new Case images, use the heading "Contributed by __ (Case #__)"
      • If images are from AFIP, use the heading "AFIP images" (and also use this in the legend)
        • Exception: if there is also an author in the heading, use this format: Contributed by Author Name and AFIP
      • If images are taken from virtual slides, use the heading "Contributed by Author name (source: virtual slide source)"
      • Subheadings should use format class="f10bi" (both bolded and italicized)
    • Load images to our server
      • Edit the files using "auto levels" to even out the colors
      • Be sure to resize images so that the files are 400 - 600 KB
      • For micro images, if the author submitted larger files, include a link in the image legend to the large file (up to 9 MB)
        • This means there will be 2 files per micro image: one of our usual size (for the href and scr) and one of the large size (to link to in the legend)
        • If the author only provided a 400 - 600 KB micro image, then there will only be one image file per image (no link in legend)
      • Load to the imgau directory or the imgau/chapter directory
      • We are no longer adding legends to the image files
      • Save the image file as chaptertopicauthor#.jpg, e.g., lymphomanonBanaplasticbalakrishna01.jpg
      • In micro images, save the large image file as chaptertopicauthor#large.jpg, e.g., lymphomanonBanaplasticbalakrishna01large.jpg
    • Add lightbox
      • Each section should have a unique lightbox code in the format data-lightbox="chaptertopicsection"
      • Add in depth description as a legend in the data-title section
      • The legend should be formatted in complete sentences with periods
      • Ok to include magnification in image legend (2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, etc.)
      • Stain and magnification should be at the end of the image legend and formatted as (stain, magnification).
      • To include a reference link in the legend, use this code (<a href=PMID style=color:#9191BE>Journal Year;Volume:Page</a>)
      • After the legend, include a <br> and the Contributed by text (only include the contributor of that specific image if there are multiple contributors)
      • In micro images, if the author included a large file, add a link to it in the legend after the contributor name "(click <a href=https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/imgau/chaptertopiclastname#large.jpg style=color:#9191BE><b>here</b></a> for larger image)"
    • Add captions
      • Include a few words as a caption in the html p tag
      • Should not include magnification, H&E or figure #
      • To make images share a caption, add the appropriate div class with &emsp; between each image (each image still needs its own legend)
        • <div class="img0"> (for special formatting, can add style="text-align:center" to the div and p tags to center the caption, be sure to add in <br>s)
        • <div class="img1"> (for 1 image, 1 caption)
        • <div class="img2"> (for 2 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="img3"> (for 3 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="img4"> (for 4 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="img5"> (for 5 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="img6"> (for 6 images, 1 caption)
      • For micro images only, we are now using large thumbnails (width="185" height="140") with the following div classes (only 4 images per row)
        • <div class="lrg1"> (for 1 image, 1 caption)
        • <div class="lrg2"> (for 2 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="lrg3"> (for 3 images, 1 caption)
        • <div class="lrg4"> (for 4 images, 1 caption)
      • Captions should include no more than 4 lines of text; if the caption cannot be trimmed down, use <div class="img0"> and add <br>s to divide the words onto 4 lines
        • Add style="text-align:center" into the div and p tags to center the caption: <div class="img0" style="text-align:center"> and
          <p style="text-align:center">
    • Add alt text
      • Copy and paste the text from the caption into the alt text (after width and height, add alt="caption")
  • Images on other servers (for author topics, delete all micro images from other servers)
    • Use the other servers heading (class="f11bi"), colon at end, one <br> before heading (two <br> if after other row of images), one <br> after heading
    • Fill in the href
    • For the src, add the thumbnail to our server (see thumbnail procedure on page 60 of Procedure manual)
      • If it is a composite image, first crop the image so that it only shows the relevant image
      • Resize to 96 x 96
      • Load to thumb directory
      • For composite images in multiple sections, crop the image for each section and link to same image
      • For composite images in the same section, only include one link / thumbnail (showing all relevant composite images)
    • Include a few words as a caption in the html p tag
    • Copy and paste the text from the caption into the alt text (after width and height, add alt="caption")
    • Link to images that include a description; do not link to images on other servers if they don't have a description (unless there are no other images)
    • Remove images from sites that are not stable, such as Archives of Pathology and WebPathology
    • Remove images from sites that bypass paywalls, such as Sci-Hub
  • General notes
    • We now require at least 6 micro images per topic
    • Include up to 6 images per row (for all image sections except micro images), then <br> onto next line
    • For micro images, include up to 4 images per row (large thumbnails do not allow for more than this)
    • Include up to 6 rows (we no longer use the scroll bar)
    • If images are on the PathOut Flickr account, add them to our server
      • Also add Flickr images from the following pathologists who have given us permission: Yale Rosen, Nicole Andeen, Maria Tretiakova, Debra Zynger, Jian-Hua Qiao or the author of the topic
    • We prefer images on our server but we allow images on other servers in every section except for micro images
    • Click here to view the different types of images
Virtual slides

Images hosted on other servers:

Short caption



Notes:
  • Most virtual slides use the "other servers" heading but we have begun hosting slides on PathPresenter - these should use the "Contributed by" heading
  • For slides from the University of Toronto, link to the page that includes the text rather than directly to the slide but use a screenshot of the slide for the thumbnail
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
Cytology description
  • Cytologic features
  • Format Diff-Quik with hyphen
  • Always capitalize Pap
Cytology images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

Short caption



Images hosted on other servers:

Short caption



Notes:
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • Format Diff-Quik with hyphen
  • Always capitalize Pap
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
  • For CNS tumor topics only, cytology and frozen section images should be grouped together in frozen section rather than separated (use heading "Intraoperative frozen / smear cytology images" for these)
Immunofluorescence description
  • Immunofluorescence diagnostic criteria, histologic features, etc.
Immunofluorescence images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

Short caption



Images hosted on other servers:

Short caption



Notes:
Positive stains
  • List relevant IHC and special stains that are positive at least 50% of the time
    • Exception: Ki67 doesn’t follow the 50% rule - keep it where the authors put it (positive or negative stains)
  • Link each stain to the corresponding Stains & CD markers topic
  • Format the name of the stain according to the Stains & CD markers table of contents
    • For example, if an author includes c-myc, change to MYC based on Stains & CD markers page
      • We use MYC for the gene and MYC for the protein rather than c-myc, c-Myc or Myc
    • For example, if an author includes LCA, change to CD45
    • Authors often use different names for stains; to find a stain, use the site search at the top of the page
  • For stains that do not have a link on the table of contents, include them in bold font, e.g., TRAF1
  • Change "+/-" or "±" to "variable," e.g., +/- CD57 → variable CD57
  • Do not include "positive" or "+" after a stain when listed in the positive stains section, as this is implied
  • When adding positive or negative (in other sections), use the same format in the same section
    • Use positive and negative (written out) or + and - (symbols)
    • Don't use both positive and + in the same section
  • Abbreviations are ok to use in this section if the Stains & CD markers table of contents uses the abbreviation, e.g., use CK7 rather than cytokeratin 7
  • For Gram stain, "Gram" should be capitalized and we now also capitalize "Gram positive" and "Gram negative"
Negative stains
  • See instructions in Positive stains
  • Do not include "negative" or "-" after a stain when listed in the negative stains section, as this is implied
Flow cytometry description
  • Note: this section is not part of the surgical pathology template
  • Add links to corresponding PathOut topics as in Stains sections, e.g., CD45, CD20, CD19
Flow cytometry images
  • Composite images are allowed for this section only
Electron microscopy description
  • Electron microscopy diagnostic findings
Electron microscopy images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

Short caption



Images hosted on other servers:

Short caption



Notes:
Molecular / cytogenetics description
  • Description of DNA / RNA findings based on testing via sequencing, PCR, FISH, CISH, ISH, cytogenetics, etc.
    • All of the above abbreviations are ok to use
  • Italicize all genes, e.g., TFE3
  • Format fusion genes and proteins with a double colon rather than a hyphen, e.g., FUS::CREB3L2
Molecular / cytogenetics images

Contributed by Name, Degrees

Short caption



Images hosted on other servers:

Short caption



Notes:
  • Can include images on our server or other servers
  • Common abbreviations are ok to use, e.g., DNA, RNA, PCR, FISH, CISH, ISH
  • Italicize all genes, e.g., TFE3
  • See detailed image instructions in Microscopic (histologic) images
  • Click here to view the different types of images
Videos

Short caption

 

Shared caption



Notes:
Sample pathology report
  • Organ, procedure:
    • Diagnosis (see comment)
    • Comment: Write in complete sentences with periods.
Differential diagnosis
  • Linked PathOut topic:
    • Use the https address for the linked PathOut topic
    • Bold the diagnosis if a link isn't available; only bold the portion that would be linked and not any additional words or phrases
    • Add a colon after the linked topic
    • Include additional info as subbullets
    • Be sure to link all stains to the stains page, e.g., PAX5
  • Next linked PathOut topic:
    • List in order that author provides; should be from most to least important (we don't list alphabetically anymore)

Image format for DDx (see example here):

Additional references
Board review style question #1


Write in complete sentences. If the last sentence is worded as a question, include a question mark at the end. If it is not worded as a question, then no punctuation at the end

  1. Answer option 1 (listed in alphabetical order)
  2. Answer option 2 (listed in alphabetical order)
  3. Answer option 3 (listed in alphabetical order)
  4. Answer option 4 (listed in alphabetical order)
  5. Answer option 5 (listed in alphabetical order)

Notes:
  • For answer options, use <ol class="liststyle2"> - uppercase letters - A.
  • For answer options, use consistent format with acronyms, i.e., either all expanded or all abbreviated
  • At least one BRQ should include an image
  • Don't include the caption / legend with the image if it gives away the answer
  • Always include the image contributor's name in the lightbox
  • Question should test basic, essential concepts rather than minor details
  • We don't accept the question format: "Which of the following is false?"
  • We don't accept multiple answers, such as "All of the above" or "A and C"
  • Answers should be ordered alphabetically; if changing the order, make sure to update the letter of the correct answer
  • Do not include punctuation at the end of the question unless it is a question mark
  • Do not use periods at the end of the answer options
Board review style answer #1
Letter. Answer. Answer explanation. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________.

Comment Here

Reference: Topic name

Notes:
  • Use periods at end of sentences in this section
  • Do not change the answer explanation order to alphabetical; keep in the order provided by the author
  • Make sure the letters match the answer options
  • For the reference, link to the topic that the question is on
  • For references in the explanation, include them at the end of the relevant sentence
Board review style question #2


Write in complete sentences. If the last sentence is worded as a question, include a question mark at the end. If it is not worded as a question, then no punctuation at the end

  1. Answer option 1 (listed in alphabetical order)
  2. Answer option 2 (listed in alphabetical order)
  3. Answer option 3 (listed in alphabetical order)
  4. Answer option 4 (listed in alphabetical order)
  5. Answer option 5 (listed in alphabetical order)

Notes:
Board review style answer #2
Letter. Answer. Answer explanation. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________. Answer __ is incorrect because ___________________.

Comment Here

Reference: Topic name
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