AJCC – American Joint Committee on Cancer – sets standards for TNM staging
ASCP – American Society of Clinical Pathology – professional organization
Bx – biopsy
CAP – College of American Pathologists – professional organization
CMS – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services – government organization
CPT – Current Procedural Terminology – used for medical billing
CT – Cytotechnologist – specialist that evaluates the morphology of cells
DRG – Diagnosis Related Group – used for medical billing
FISH – Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization – used in genetic testing
FFPE – Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded – tissue embedded in paraffin blocks
EM – Electron Microscopy – electronic microscope used for very high magnification
FNA – Fine Needle Aspirate – used for the cytologic examination of tissue
FS or F/S – Frozen Section – used for rapid diagnosis of tissue
H&E – Hematoxylin and Eosin – used in tissue staining
HT or HTL – Histotechnologist – prepares tissues for examination by pathologist
IHC – Immunohistochemistry – used in tissue staining
MT – Medical Technologist – performs clinical lab tests
PA – Pathologist Assistant
PAS – Periodic acid–Schiff – used in tissue staining
TNM – Tumor Nodes & Mets – used for staging cancer