Critical values

Critical values is a concept which comes from clinical pathology. In the context of surgical pathology it is sometimes called critical diagnosis.

List

Gynecologic:

• No chorionic villi or trophoblasts on D&C in someone pregnant.
• Fat on endometrial biopsy.
• Fat on endocervical canal sampling.

Diagnostic of infection:

• Fungal.
• Microbacterial.
• Bacterial.
• Viral.

Suggestive of infection:

• Necrotic granulomas.

Cardiac:

• Mesothelial cells in heart muscle biopsy.

Transplant related:

• Transplant rejection.

Medical diseases:

• Vasculitis.

Renal:

• Crescents in kidney biopsy.

General:

• Large vessel in core biopsy specimen.
• Unexpected malignant diagnosis.
• Malignant diagnosis in the context of a medical emergency:
  • Neoplasm causing paralysis.
  • Malignancy causing superior vena cava syndrome.

Article looking at critical values in cytology: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/112606899.

External links

• AJCP article with partial list.