Applications of Correlative Microscopy in Diagnostic and Investigative Pathology

Abstract

Correlative microscopy is employed in a great variety of settings by both diagnostic and investigative pathologists. Combinations of conventional light microscopy (LM), immunohistology, and electron microscopy (EM) are used in a wide range of diagnostic settings, including the analysis of tumors, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Valuable diagnostic information is also frequently obtained by simultaneous or sequential examination of exfoliated or aspirated cell suspensions (cytopathology) and tissue sections (histopathology) from the same lesion. An even wider range of correlative microscopic methods is employed by pathologists in basic and clinical research. The rationales for using correlative techniques are many and varied, but in most cases fall within a limited number of categories.Pathologists frequently use a second microscopic or preparative technique to improve on the resolution afforded by an initial technique. Electron microscopy is often used to refine the analysis of features initially detected by routine LM or immunohistology.