General Pathology – Gross & Microscopic Specimens Review

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering gross and microscopic hallmarks of common pathological specimens discussed in lecture, suitable for rapid exam review.

What key gross features characterize a heart with brown atrophy?

Small heart, prominent tortuous coronary vessels, and thin brownish ventricular walls.

Which gross changes in bladder and prostate produce urinary bladder hypertrophy in BPH?

Dilated, thick-walled trabeculated bladder and an enlarged, gray-pink firm prostate obstructing the bladder neck.

Describe the typical gross appearance of a prostate affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Enlarged nodular gland with multiple firm gray-pink nodules of varying size surrounded by fibrous bands.

Microscopically, what three findings are classic for benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Crowded glands with papillary infoldings/cystic dilation, corpora amylacea in lumina, and abundant fibromuscular stroma.

What gross finding at the distal esophagus suggests Barrett esophagus?

Red, velvety (salmon-colored) patches just above the gastroesophageal junction.

What histologic change defines Barrett esophagus?

Replacement of stratified squamous epithelium by metaplastic columnar (intestinal-type) mucosa.

Give the classic gross description of fatty change in liver.

Enlarged, yellow, soft liver with rounded edges and greasy cut surface.

How does a renal (white) infarct appear grossly?

Wedge-shaped pale yellow area pointing toward the hilum, surrounded by a hyperemic rim; capsule overlying infarct is raised.

What microscopic features confirm coagulative necrosis in renal infarction?

Homogeneous pink necrotic cells lacking detail, sharp border with viable tissue, plus inflammatory infiltrate.

Which gross feature distinguishes cerebral (liquefactive) infarction?

An oval cystic cavity filled with liquefied necrotic material, edged by edema and hyperemia.

Describe the gross appearance of a kidney destroyed by tuberculous caseation.

Enlarged nodular kidney with thick capsule and multiple irregular cavities containing yellow friable caseous material; parenchyma compressed.

What are the classic external signs of dry gangrene of a digit?

Mummified black tissue with clear line of demarcation/separation from pale surrounding skin.

What gross change defines pseudomembranous colitis?

Edematous, hyperemic colonic wall partially covered by thin yellow pseudomembranes.

List the three main gross findings in acute diffuse suppurative appendicitis.

Elongated edematous appendix, hyperemic serosa with focal pus, and lumen filled with purulent exudate.

Mention two key microscopic findings of acute suppurative appendicitis.

Mucosal ulceration with purulent lumen and heavy neutrophilic infiltrate through submucosa, muscle, and serosa.

Which gross triad suggests chronic cholecystitis with gallstones?

Enlarged thick gray-white gallbladder wall, focal mucosal hyperemia, and multiple brown stones.

State two microscopic hallmarks of chronic cholecystitis.

Rokitansky–Aschoff sinuses and lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with fibrosis of wall.

How does a chronic peptic gastric ulcer appear grossly?

A sharply punched-out oval ulcer with clean floor, indurated base, and hyperemic margins.

Describe gross findings in tuberculous bronchopneumonia with cavitation.

Heavy lung with consolidation, caseation, and irregular thick-walled cavities filled with cheesy material, one rupturing into pleura.

What is the defining gross appearance of miliary tuberculosis in lung or spleen?

Numerous 1–4 mm gray-yellow caseous tubercles scattered uniformly throughout the organ.

Name the four microscopic components of a tuberculous granuloma.

Central caseous necrosis, epithelioid cells, Langhans giant cells, and rim of lymphocytes/fibroblasts.

What alternating cut-surface pattern produces the term 'nutmeg liver' in chronic venous congestion?

Pale yellow fatty zones alternating with dark brown congested zones.

Which gross color change gives congested kidneys the nickname 'beetroot kidney'?

Diffuse red-brown coloration, especially in the vascular medulla.

Describe a ball thrombus of the left atrium.

Large, oval, free-moving brown mass (≈3 × 5 cm) loosely filling the atrial cavity.

What are Lines of Zahn in a recent thrombus?

Alternating orange RBC layers and pale pink platelet-fibrin layers within the clot, visible microscopically.

How does a red (hemorrhagic) pulmonary infarct appear grossly?

Well-defined, wedge-shaped, dark red-brown area extending to pleural surface.

What characterizes an old pale infarct of kidney grossly?

Multiple gray, depressed, firm, scar-like areas of varying size and shape.

Give two gross findings in cerebral hemorrhage.

Dark brown blood clot in cerebrum (≈3 × 2 cm) and extension of blood into ventricles/subarachnoid space.

What is the classic gross picture of adrenal hemorrhage?

Enlarged adrenal with extensive dark brown hemorrhage and a thin peripheral gray rim of remaining cortex.

Contrast dry and wet gangrene grossly.

Dry: black mummified tissue with sharp line of demarcation; Wet: swollen dark red tissue without clear separation, often malodorous.

Why is gas gangrene of brain recognized grossly?

Multiple empty cavities of variable size produced by gas-forming organisms after tissue necrosis.

What gross changes accompany small-intestinal volvulus?

Twisted, swollen, dark-brown loops indicating moist gangrene from vascular compromise.

How does strangulated ileum differ grossly from normal bowel?

A dark brown, swollen 3 cm segment with no line of demarcation, reflecting ischemic moist gangrene.

Define ileo-ileal intussusception grossly.

One segment telescopes into another; inner segment is dark, swollen, narrow-lumened, outer segment is pale and distended.

What are the gross features of a thyroid adenoma?

Well-circumscribed encapsulated round nodule (~5 cm) that is soft and separate from surrounding thyroid tissue.

Describe the gross appearance of an ovarian mucinous cystadenoma.

Large unilocular cyst (≈15 × 8 cm) with thin wall, smooth surface, filled with gelatinous mucoid material.

List three gross characteristics of a lipoma.

Well-circumscribed encapsulated oval mass (5 – 7 cm), soft, yellow, greasy, and lobulated.

What is the classic microscopic appearance of lipoma adipocytes?

Lobules of mature fat cells with clear vacuolated cytoplasm and peripheral nuclei (signet-ring).

How is a fibroma identified grossly?

Firm, encapsulated oval fibrous mass about 12 × 7 cm.

State the key gross features of a breast fibroadenoma.

Well-circumscribed encapsulated oval tumor (~4 × 2 cm) that is gray-yellow and firm.

Describe a fungating carcinoma of cecum grossly.

Large round gray-white firm mass (≈5 × 5 cm) protruding into lumen with hemorrhage and necrosis.

Which two microscopic findings confirm adenocarcinoma of colon?

Malignant glands of varying size lined by pleomorphic hyperchromatic cells with mitoses and desmoplastic stroma.

What gross pattern earns diffuse gastric carcinoma the term 'leather-bottle stomach'?

Diffuse gray-white firm infiltration of entire gastric wall causing thick, rigid, rugosity-lost stomach.

Give two gross hallmarks of squamous cell carcinoma of cervix.

Gray-white exophytic ulcerative growth (≈2 × 2 cm) with raised everted edge and firm necrotic base.

Name two classic microscopic features of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma.

Epithelial (keratin) pearls and individual cell keratinization with intercellular bridges.

How do metastatic deposits appear in liver grossly?

Multiple firm gray-white nodules (mms to 3 cm) more numerous at periphery, some with central umbilication.

List three gross elements found in a benign cystic teratoma of ovary.

Thin-walled cyst containing sebaceous material, hair tufts, and sometimes cartilage/teeth.

Which three tissue types are typically seen microscopically in a benign cystic teratoma?

Squamous epithelium with hair follicles/sebaceous glands, mature cartilage, and fibro-adipose tissue.

Give the gross description of hepatoblastoma in children.

Large infiltrative soft gray tumor (≈10 × 7 cm) with hemorrhage, necrosis, and blue glistening cartilage foci.

How does an adrenal neuroblastoma appear grossly?

Solitary soft lobulated red-brown mass (≈6 × 5 cm) with extensive hemorrhage and necrosis within adrenal.

Describe the gross features of a medulloblastoma.

Irregular gray firm tumor (≈4 × 3 cm) in cerebellar vermis with necrosis and hemorrhage.

What gross finding signals retinoblastoma?

Eye globe filled with soft pink-white necrotic tumor invading optic nerve, often with hemorrhage.

How is cavernous hemangioma of liver recognized grossly?

Well-circumscribed dark brown mass (≈7 × 6 cm) with multiple blood-filled cavernous spaces.

State two key microscopic findings of cavernous hemangioma.

Large vascular cavernous spaces filled with clot, lined by benign endothelium and separated by fibrous tissue.

Which tissue components define a pulmonary hamartoma microscopically?

Mature cartilage admixed with fat, fibrous tissue, vessels, and clefts of ciliated columnar epithelium.