Specimen Grossing and Dissection

Specimen grossing, also known as surgical cut-up or dissection, is the critical first step in the histopathology diagnostic pathway and a core competency in tertiary cellular pathology education at Zambian universities and colleges. This topic encompasses the systematic inspection, description, measurement, inking, and sectioning of surgical and biopsy specimens to prepare representative tissue blocks for processing. Students will learn the grossing workflow from specimen reception and accessioning to detailed macroscopic examination, including documentation of size, shape, color, margins, and orientation. The module covers dissection plans for various specimen types: small biopsies, core biopsies, skin ellipses, gastrointestinal resections, gynecological samples, and breast specimens, with special techniques like fat clearance for lymph node retrieval. For Zambian diploma and degree students in medical laboratory science and pathology, mastering grossing is essential for ensuring accurate diagnosis, appropriate sampling, and effective communication with pathologists. This topic is vital for examination success and forms the foundation of professional practice in Zambian histopathology laboratories, where precise grossing directly impacts cancer staging, margin assessment, and patient management.