Neuropathology Goals & Objectives

Goals

Upon completion of a pathology rotation the neurosurgical resident will:

Compare relevant chromatic, chemical and immune-peroxides for specific tissues and disease processes
Correlate gross and histologic specimens to the pathologic process
Correlate the chemical laboratory and radiologic data with the underlying pathologic process in individual patients
Explain the pathophysiology as it relates to the specific neurological clinical situations

Objectives

Understand the cell rest and field theories in the development of tumors of the nervous system
Explain the nature of local invasion of glial neoplasm and the structures of Scherer
Define the peaks of occurrence, locations, clinical presentations, histologic , cytologic and where relevant immunologic characteristics of primary glial neoplasm’s including: Astrocytoma, Oligodendroglioma, Ependymoma, Choroids Plexus, Papillone, Myxopapillary Eprndymomas, Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors (PNET), Germinomas, Ganglioglioma, Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma, Hemangioblastoma
Define the peaks of occurrence, locations, clinical presentation, development, histologic and cytologic characteristics of: Meningiomas, Hemangiopericytomas, Colloid Cysts, Rathke cleft cysts, Pineal cysts, Craniopharyngioma, Dermoids, Epidermoids, Chordomas, Gliosarcomas, Lymphomas
Differentiate the accepted grading systems for glial neoplasms based on rationale: World Health Orgniazation (WHO,) Kernahan, Danmas–Duport, Buerger
Compare of the pathophysiology and clinical correlates of carcinoma that is metastatic to the nervous system by type: parenchymal, leptomeningeal, epidural
Explain the pathophysiology of paraneopla stic nervous system diseases
Describe the laboratory, clinical, histologic, cytologic and immunologic abnormalities found in association with pituitary adenomas
Describe the laboratory studies indicative of the cause of hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas including prolactinomas, Cushings syndrome, and acromegaly
Describe the clinical presentation, radiographic picture, genetics and pathologic manifestations of the neurocutaneorus syndromes: Tuberous Sekrosis, Neurofibromatosis I, Neurofibromatosis II, Von Hippe–Lindau’s Angiomatosis, Encephalo facial Angiomatosis, Ataxia–Telauogiectasia
Explain the clinical presentation, laboratory abnormalities, pathophysiology and possible sequellae of: Bacterial meningitis, Viral meningitis, Sporadic and Epidemic Encephalitis, Herpes Encephalitis, Tuberculosis (TB) meningitis, Fungal meningitis, Poliomyelitis, Creutzfeld–Jacob disease
Differentiate the types of cerebral abscesses (bacterial, fungal, tuberculosis, sarcoid, parasitic) based on the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, radiographic presentation and give the rationale for treatment
Discuss the clinical presentation and the pathologic correlates of AIDS as the well as associated infections and neoplastic entitles as the affect the nervous system
Compare the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of demyelinating disorders of the nervous system such as multiple sclerosis and central pontine myelinolysis
Describe the clinical and pathologic abnormalities in vitamin deficiency diseases of the central nervous system including subacute combined degeneration, Wernicke’s encephalopathy, and Korsakoff’s psychosis
Describe the clinical presentation and the pathologic substrate of the major degenerative central nervous system disorders: Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Wilson’s Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Pick’s Disease, Huntington’s Disease, Motor Neuron Disease, Post Polio Syndrome, Spinocerebellar desecrations, Striatonigral Degeneration
Describe the use of electron microscopy, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as it pertains to neurological disease

Technical

Perform basic preparation, frozen sectioning and microscopic identification of nervous tissue