Anatomic Pathology in Minnesota

Overview

The Division of Anatomic Pathology is one of eight divisions in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The mission of Anatomic Pathology is to provide the highest quality clinical service, research, and education, but our patient care activities are always our first priority.

The Division of Anatomic Pathology includes a number of areas. Both Saint Marys and Rochester Methodist Hospitals have frozen section laboratories where specimens from the operating rooms are processed and examined. By using a unique frozen section technique, rapid diagnoses can be made allowing for immediate decisions regarding intraoperative and postoperative patient management. Outpatient biopsies obtained at Mayo Clinic are sent directly to the Hilton Building for processing in the histology laboratory. Many of these cases are available the same day they are received, and others are processed overnight.

Pathology specimens from Mayo Clinic patients account for about 60 percent of the clinical care activities. The remaining cases are received from other institutions around the world and comprise our extramural consultation practice.

For the years 1995 to 2001, division faculty published more than 1,400 manuscripts (not including abstracts or editorials). These studies include state-of-the-art ancillary tests, such as immunohistochemical and molecular techniques. During that same period, Division of Anatomic Pathology staff consultants authored or co-authored more than 114 book chapters and 11 textbooks.

Mission Statement
Anatomic Pathology strives to be an international leader by functioning as a team whose members are committed to:

• Providing the highest quality pathology patient services in an efficient and cost effective manner first.
• Achieving excellence in our educational activities in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and our continuing medical education for pathology and non-pathology colleagues.
• Continuously engaging in academic and diagnostic activities that broaden the expertise of our own faculty and expand our understanding of human disease and the discipline of pathology.