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LSUHSC - Shreveport, Louisiana

 

LSUHSC Renal Pathology Consultative Services

A renal biopsy is a precious specimen. Its miniscule size is deceptive because of the large quantity of information it harbors, information vital to understanding the etiology, treatment, and prognosis of your patient. It is imperative, therefore, that this tissue be handled not only in an expeditious fashion, and but also properly interpreted. The LSUHSC renal biopsy service is designed with that end in mind.

Service Excellence

The emphasis of our renal biopsy service is service, with:

• Rapid turn-around-time: light microscopy with special stains and immunofluorescence stains out the day the biopsy arrives
• Direct communication with the referring nephrologist the day a biopsy arrives.

No case is signed out without direct contact with the clinician to ensure that the diagnosis is not only correct, but is also properly focused to the critical questions raised.

We are ready to assist in your diagnosis and treatment.  Please call or email to learn more about how we could fill your renal pathology requirements.

Stephen M. Bonsib, MD 
Chairman Pathology
Director, Renal Pathology Consultative Services
Albert G. and Harriet G. Smith Professor of Pathology

See one of our case studies... and Contact Us for more information.

 

 

Renal Pathology Review  by Stephen M. Bonsib, MD

Challenges of Renal Pathology

• The diagnosis requires correlation of multiple studies: LM + special stains, IF and EM
• You may see the LM, but often the IF is not seen and the EM may not be timely
• Most gns are primary, but they may be secondary; clinical information is crucial and influences the terms used in the final diagnosis.

For Example ... Diseases that may be histologically identical:

• Membranoproliferative gn, type 1
• Dense deposits disease/MPGN, type 2
• Hepatitis C-associated gn
• Cryoglobulinemic gn
• Diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis
• Other infectious disease-associated gns

Focal segmental glomerular scars:

• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
• Collapsing gn
• HIV nephropathy
• IgA nephropathy
• Alports syndrome
• Other hereditary nephritis
• Inactive crescentic gn

Pathogenic Mechanisms in Glomerulonephritis

Immune complex/antibody negative (cytokines or other circulating factors):

Minimal change disease

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Immune complex formation/deposition:

Numerous forms of glomerulonephritis

Nephrotoxic autoantibodies:

AGBM and ANCA