Histology Services, University Hospital Waterford

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The Histology Department is mainly located on the laboratory first floor and consists of Histology, Cytology, Immunohistochemistry, Andrology and the Autoantibody Laboratory

The department provides a comprehensive general clinical histology service to University Hospital Waterford and the HSE South East. 

Consultant Histopathologists, Prof. Rob Landers, Dr. Fergus MacSweeney, Dr. Nigam Shah, Dr. Christine Shilling, Dr. Mutaz Nur, Dr. Eimear Lee and Dr. Sri Kalimuthu are responsible for authorising the release of reports.

Department phone numbers

  • Report Enquiries: Ext 2483, 2484, 8129 or 051-842483, 051-842484, 051-848129
  • Enquiries and information (Histology): Ext 2494 or 051-842494
  • Enquiries and information (Histology Specimen Reception): Ext 8981 or 051-848981
  • Enquiries and information (Cytology): Ext 8543 or 051-848543
  • Enquiries and information (Immunohistochemistry): Ext 2543 or 051-842543
  • Enquiries and information (Andrology): Ext 2410 or 051-842410
  • Enquiries and information (Autoantibody Laboratory): Ext 8919 or 051-848919
  • Chief Medical Scientist (Michelle Griffin): Ext 8586 or 051-848586
  • Quality Officer (Marita Murray): Ext:2542 or 051-842542
  • Dr. Rob Landers, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 2940 or 051-842940
  • Dr. Fergus MacSweeney, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 2558 or 051-842558
  • Dr. Nigam Shah, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 8445 or 051-848445
  • Dr. Christine Shilling, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 2484 or 051-842484
  • Dr. Mutaz Nur, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 7176 or 051-847176
  • Dr. Eimear Lee, Consultant Pathologist: Ext 2484 or 051-842484
  • Histology NCHD's : Ext 8461 or 051-848461
  • Laboratory Fax Number: 051-848565

Specimen containers and request forms

Request forms:

A completed request form must accompany all specimens. The form must display:

  • The patient’s name.
  • The patient’s date of birth.
  • The patient’s chart number.
  • Requesting clinician’s name.
  • Location of requesting clinician.
  • Nature of specimen.
  • Date of specimen.
  • Clinical details. 

A mismatch between the container label patient’s details and the request form patient’s details may result in the specimen being returned. The absence of essential details may result in the specimen being returned or a delay in reporting.
For further details refer to the Guide for Completing Request Forms and Labelling the Specimen

Specimen containers:(available from Pathology Dept.)

There are a variety of sizes available to suit tissue specimens of any size. Do not force tissue specimens into containers that are too small.

The specimen container label should be attached to the side of the container and as a minimum must have the patient’s name, the patient’s chart number, the patient’s date of birth and the nature of the specimen written on it.

If the patient has not got a chart number the container label as a minimum must have the patient’s name, the patient’s date of birth and the nature of the specimen written on it. Unlabelled specimen containers will be returned. For further details refer to the Guide for Completing Request Forms and Labelling the Specimen.

Tissue Specimens for Routine Histopathological Examination. 

The container should contain at least twice the volume of 10% buffered formalin (fixative) as tissue (available from Pathology Dept.)

The container lid should be tightly sealed to prevent leakage during transport.

The tissue specimen should be placed intact as soon as possible after removal from the patient into the specimen container and fixative added. (Smaller specimen containers are supplied pre-filled with fixative.)  

The information required on specimen containers is as for request forms above.

Tissue Specimens for Frozen Section. 

The laboratory should be given at least 24 hours notice of a frozen section to ensure a Consultant Pathologist and Medical Scientist will be available when the frozen section arrives.

If there is a danger of infection (e.g. tuberculosis) please phone the laboratory to discuss an alternative method of rapid diagnosis.

The tissue specimen should be placed intact as soon as possible after removal from the patient into a dry specimen container and sent immediately to the Histology Laboratory.

The information required on specimen containers and request forms is as for specimen containers and request forms above. The specimen must be brought directly to the Histology Laboratory and given to a Medical Scientist. 

Tissue Specimen for Direct Immunofluorescence.

 Tissue specimens can be presented to the laboratory in two ways.

  1. The tissue is wrapped in saline moistened gauze. The gauze is placed into a labelled dry container and delivered to the Histology Laboratory within 1 hour.
  2. The tissue is placed into Zeus fixative (available from the Histology Laboratory on request) and delivered to the Laboratory within 24 hours. 

The information required on specimen containers and request forms is as for specimen containers and request forms above.

Muscle Biopsy for Neurodegenerative and Metabolic Studies.

These studies are performed in the Department of Neuropathology, Cork University Hospital. For hospitals other than University Hospital Waterford please phone 021-4922519 for directions on how to preserve and transport the muscle biopsy to Cork University Hospital.

Clinicians in Waterford Regional Hospital intending to take a muscle biopsy for the above studies should phone the Histology Laboratory in University Hospital Waterford for instructions 24 hours before taking the specimen.

The information required on specimen containers and request forms is as for specimen containers and request forms above.

Renal Biopsy 

Renal biopsies are sent to the Renal Pathology Laboratory in Beaumont Hospital Dublin for examination.

The renal biopsy is presented to the Histology Laboratory in University Hospital Waterford in three portions. (The fixatives listed below can be collected from the Autoantibody dept. in the Histology Laboratory before taking the biopsy.) 

  1. One portion in 10% buffered formalin for light microscopy.
  2. One portion in Zeus fixative for direct immunofluorescence microscopy.
  3. One portion in gluteraldehyde for electron microscopy.

The Histology Laboratory will arrange the transport of the biopsy to Beaumont Hospital.

The information required on specimen containers and request forms is as for specimen containers and request forms above.

Tissues for Cytogenetic Analysis (Obstetrician Requests)

At the request of obstetric consultant, specimens including product of conception, placental tissue and skin scrapings may be referred for cytogenetic analysis.  This testing is performed at Eurofins Biomnis.  Specimens should be submitted in containers of suitable transport medium (available on request from the Histology laboratory) with information included on container as outlined above.  Specimens should be submitted as soon as possible after collection in order to ensure viability of cells for analysis.  Specimens should be accompanied by a completed Histology Request Form (as outlined above)  AND a completed Eurofins Biomnis Genetic Test Request Form which must have signed patient consent.  The Histology laboratory will arrange transport of the sample to Eurofins Biomnis.  

Surgical Cytology Specimens

Surgical cytology specimens (e.g. pleural fluid, ascetic fluid, sputa, urine etc.) should be sampled directly into CytoLyt solution (available from the Pathology Department ) and delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible for testing.

Fine Needle Aspirate specimens require the following: 

  • Two direct smear slides wet fixed with Cytofixx spray (these slides should be marked with an X to indicate use of Cytofixx spray). Each slide should be labelled with patient's name and patient's chart number or patient's date of birth.
  • Two direct smear slides air-dried. Each slide should be labelled with patient's name and patient's chart number or patient's date of birth.
  • The rest of the aspirated material should be submitted as needle washings into a labelled 30ml Cytolyt solution bottle.

FNA samples should be delivered to the laboratory as soon as possible for testing.

The information required on specimen containers and request forms is as for specimen containers and request forms above.

Consumables required for Cytology sample collection (slides, slide mailers, Cytofixx spray, Cytolyt Solution) are available from Laboratory stores for UHW service users and from local hospital laboratories for service users from WGH, STGH and SLGH.

Cervical Cytology 

A cervical cytology screening service is not available in University Hospital Waterford. All cervical cytology specimens received in error in the laboratory will be returned.

Histology Turnaround Times

Autoantibody Laboratory

For accurate identification of specimens it is essential that all samples be labelled properly and that request forms are filled out clearly and accurately referring to Completing the request form and labelling the specimen.

In the interest of patient safety, samples that do not meet these minimum sample identification requirements cannot be accepted for analysis.

For information in regard to the test repertoire offered, sample types required, and test turnaround times, please see the test library at the base of the Laboratory home page

Andrology/Semenology Laboratory

Semen analysis is available by APPOINTMENT only at University Hospital Waterford.

To make an appointment phone 051-842410.

Semen analysis request forms, containers, and instruction leaflets are available from Pathology Dept. (Phone: 051-842495)