The medical renal pathology service provides detailed diagnostic workups and reports for the entire gamut of adult and pediatric medical renal diseases in the native and the transplant kidney.
A routine panel of histochemical stains is employed for light microscopy. The routine direct immunofluorescence staining panel on frozen sections includes IgG, IgA, IgM, C3, C1q, kappa, lambda, fibrinogen, and albumin. Indirect IF for C4d is routinely performed on all renal transplant biopsies. (The pronase digestion method is available for IF staining on paraffin embedded tissue when necessary.)
Specialized testing is available for specific diseases, including:
- Collagen IV subtyping for Alport syndrome
- IgG4 staining for IgG4 nephropathy
- PLA2R staining for membranous nephropathy
- Quantitative basement membrane measurements for thin basement membrane disease
Prepared kits with appropriate fixatives and transport media are available for the collection of specimens from off-site. The submitting nephrologist is contacted by telephone with preliminary diagnostic information within 24 hours of receipt of the biopsy specimen.
We support monthly biopsy and curriculum conferences and regular interinstitutional video conferences with Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.