- We are a local Laboratory, so no lost time with a specimen being “in transit”
- We have access to a wide variety of tests, allowing us to process any histology or cytology specimen.
- 95 antibodies and 14 special stains for comprehensive testing
- Get immediate access to reports online. We offer online availability of reports, giving you access to your results as soon as they’re generated.
- No gap for health professionals and their dependents.
Why Helix Pathology?
- Ancillary testing referred on to external labs such as Genomic for Life, Peter MacCallum Centre and Pathology QLD.
- 24/7 access to Pathologists
- Assistance with intra-operative Frozen sections and FNAs
- Courier service to entire Gold Coast region
- Pathologist regularly attend multidisciplinary meetings to share vital case information
Downloadable Documents:
Simply ring our laboratory for a pickup of the samples, let us know you are a new referrer and our Liaison Representative will organise request books and stores to be delivered on our next visit. We will add your surgery to our courier run or organise specialised collections times with your staff. Helix Pathology can deliver your reports by; fax, hard copy or downloads.
SENDING IN SPECIMENS
Here is a short check list for collection:
- Collect your specimen in the appropriate container, label the container and seal this in a specimen bag
- Complete a request form with the patient’s full details, the tests required, description of specimen and any applicable clinical notes – your name and provider number
- Please complete the copy doctor details to ensure the result is sent to all relevant practitioners
- Place the specimen out for collection with your reception staff
- A Helix courier will either collect on route or will be phoned by your staff for collection
STORES AVAILABLE
- Histology Jars 70ml with formalin
- Histology Jars 250ml with formalin
- Specimen Buckets small, medium or large (hospital theatre use)
- Sterile containers
- FNA kits
- Microscope Slides
- Slide Holders / Carriers
- Specimen Carrier Bags small or large (100 in a pack)
- Helix Pathology Request Pads (cheque book size)
- Request forms A4 with labels
- Sterile Saline Tubes
- Basic dressing packs
OUR LABORATORY PROCESS
The laboratory process for histology and cytology is one of the most hands on, time-consuming areas of pathology. This is a snapshot of what contributes to the histology turnaround time:
- Specimen is retrieved via courier
- The specimen(s) are placed in anatomical order and accessioned with a unique laboratory number
- Surgeries are phoned if there are any discrepancies
- Request forms are scanned and the data entered
- Cassettes and microscope slides are printed. The number of cassettes and slides varies greatly between cases. Small biopsies generally have 1 cassette and 1 slide printed, larger more complex surgical cases can have over 100 blocks
- Specimen dissection is carried out by a laboratory technician or by a pathologist
- Dissected tissue is placed on a tissue processing machine. Small biopsies can be processed in 1 hour, larger pieces of tissue (eg. Breast mastectomy) will process for 10 hours/overnight
- The tissue is then embedded in paraffin wax
- Wax block containing tissue is cut on a microtome
- The slide is stained on an automated stainer (sometimes manual special stains are also performed, eg. Diff Quick stain on all gastric biopsies).
- Slides are then sorted and given to a pathologist who examines them under a microscope for reporting
- The pathologist may order further tests including:
- Special stains
- Deeper sections
- Immunohistochemistry
- Referred tests such as molecular studies for gene rearrangements may be prepared for dispatch
- A report will be sent. Any additional results from referred tests are appended and resent