Grossing biopsies: an introduction to general principles and techniques

Abstract

Representation of grossing biopsies methodology is minimal in the surgical pathology literature. The present review is an attempt to provide an update on general principles and common techniques for grossing small biopsies. Biopsy triage is the first step of grossing that facilitates optimal handling of the specimen. It includes determination of the specimen's category, priority for processing, and adequacy of the specimen's preservation. New requirements of modern biopsy processing, such as the numerous modern ancillary studies and increased expectations for rapid turnaround time, make this often underestimated preanalytical phase more significant. This article discusses general requirements for biopsy grossing techniques that include completeness of submission, selecting for microscopy the most diagnostically valuable parts of the biopsy specimen, and specific instructions for further histology processing.