Autopsy Neuropathology

Instruction with respect to autopsy neuropathology provides the neuropathology trainee with appropriate experience 1) to conduct a clinical chart review and formulate the differential neurologic/neuropathologic diagnoses (with special attention to the physical and laboratory neurologic assessments), 2) to develop expertise with brain and spinal cord removal and other special prosection techniques, 3) to make appropriate first-decisions for specialized tissue sampling (e.g., carotid perfusion and removal, spinal cord removal via posterior approaches, examination of the autonomic nervous system and specific neuromuscular sampling), 4) to formulate provisional gross diagnoses related to the nervous and neuromuscular systems, 5) to acquire proficiency in neuro-histopathology as it relates to medical neuropathology, and 6) to acquire interactive teaching skills by acting as the senior consultant to the anatomic residents who are rotating on the autopsy service. The trainee assumes graded responsibilities throughout the first and second years with respect to determining the appropriate neuro- histochemical and immunohistochemical procedures to be performed. There is a strong emphasis on the interactive role of the neuropathology trainee as a senior consultant for the anatomic residents during the course of the autopsy prosection, gross examination of the nervous system, formulation of the provisional gross diagnosis, brain gross dissection conference and the final diagnostic interpretation of the case (including microscopic examination and clinicopathologic correlation). The neuropathology trainees are expected to prepare and orally present, under the guidance and supervision of the neuropathology faculty, selected neuropathology cases at a biweekly gross clinicopathologic conference (see list of conferences) which is jointly held with the Departments of Neurology, Neurologic Surgery, and Neuroradiology.