Pathological anatomy atlas of surgical and autopsy specimens available in the Morphofunctional Laboratory of the Superior School of Health Sciences (ESCS)

Abstract

Introduction and Objectives: The macroscopic examination of anatomical structures is crucial in medical practice, as it can provide insights into various diseases, such as distinguishing between benign and malignant tumors based on macroscopic features. The specific objective is to catalog and systematize the macroscopic characteristics of specimens from the morphofunctional laboratory of the School of Health Sciences (ESCS) to establish a database for study purposes and enhance students' understanding of anatomical pathology.  Methods: This research involves a cross-sectional and experimental approach, focusing on the macroscopic analysis of surgically removed tumors and autopsy specimens available at morphofunctional laboratory. The research stages included specimen selection based on preservation quality and clinical relevance, photography, description, formulation of diagnostic hypotheses, and producing a virtual atlas. Results: A total of 33 specimens from the ESCS morphofunctional laboratory were selected. Findings were analyzed using specialized literature²,³, and diagnostic hypotheses were proposed. The tumors were categorized according to systems: gastrointestinal, female reproductive, respiratory, osteoarticular, urinary, breast, and soft tissues. The main findings included possible cases of chronic passive hepatic congestion, familial polyposis, Crohn's disease, metastatic liver neoplasms, ileocecal valve adenocarcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, primary gastric adenocarcinoma, gastric carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, sarcoma, leiomyomas, cervical squamous carcinoma, endometrial adenocarcinoma, pulmonary metastases, anthracosis, bronchogenic carcinoma, osteosarcoma, polycystic kidney disease, hydronephrosis, renal cell carcinoma, cystadenocarcinoma, and breast carcinoma. Discussion and Conclusion: The objective of building a database to enhance knowledge was achieved. However, several limitations were identified, including the small size and limited diversity of the specimen collection, as well as constraints related to photographic and analytical resources. Despite these limitations, this study is relevant for promoting the use of physical specimens in education—a scarce opportunity during the COVID-19 pandemic—and for complementing the study of artificial models. The detailed description of specimens and the organization of diagnostic hypotheses based on macroscopic characteristics enabled the creation of an important resource to showcase the available collection at the institution. This highlights the need to expand the ESCS morphofunctional laboratory's repository. Finally, the longitudinal maintenance of this catalog is recommended to ensure consistency with the physical collection and to serve as a valuable tool for disseminating knowledge.