The Renal Biopsy Laboratory in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at Mayo Clinic examines more than 6,000 biopsies per year from nephrologists across the country.

The biopsy tissue and relevant clinical information are sent to the Mayo Clinic Renal Biopsy Laboratory through Mayo Clinic Laboratories. To completely evaluate the biopsy, one portion is processed for light microscopy, another portion is processed for electron microscopy and a third portion for evaluation by immunofluorescent histology. Each of these studies is important to fully examine the biopsy for specific types of injury such as antibody-mediated processes, inflammatory processes and structural abnormalities. It’s crucial to provide clinical information (such as nephrology consult notes, history and physical or other details) and relevant laboratory results for proper correlation with the biopsy findings.

In instances when a diagnosis is needed urgently to guide therapy, such as in acute renal failure, processing can be expedited and the diagnosis communicated within hours of receipt of the biopsy specimen. However, advance notification of a request for expedited or rush processing is required. A histology technician and a renal pathologist are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for expedited or rush biopsy processing and interpretation.

1. Mary E. Fidler, M.D., Medical Co-Director
2. Samih H. Nasr, M.D., Medical Co-Director
3. Grace E. Jenson, M.B.A, Supervisor

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