The Histopathology Department Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) provides a comprehensive range of histological and cytological pathological services. These services include the routine and specialised examination of tissue samples (including immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy), diagnostic screening of body fluids and aspirates, and coroner's autopsies.
These services are fully supported and led by Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) registered consultant clinical staff and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered senior biomedical scientists.
Opening hours
The Histopathology Department is open for the routine examination of specimens from 08:30 to 17:30 Monday to Friday and on Saturday for deliveries from 09:00 to 12:00.
Contact details
Departmental Clinical Lead: Dr Michael Eden
Histopathology Manager: Zahrah Rosun
Contact Histopathology and cytology via its Enquiries line
Telephone: 01223 217163
Histopathology service update
Due to a significant increase in the number Histopathology investigations since the end of the Covid pandemic the Cambridge Histopathology laboratory has not been meeting the turnaround time reporting standards to which we aspire:
- 80% within 7 days
- 90% within 10 days
- 95% within 21 days
An improvement programme has been implemented and the laboratory is working on a number of initiatives to increase capacity. This includes the use of digital imaging (replacing microscopy) and automated microtomy on some samples. These are outside the current scope of accreditation. UKAS accreditation of the service had been suspended, but due to the improvements made, the Histopathology department has had its accreditation to ISO15189:2012 re-instated by UKAS following an assessment in August 2024.
Cases referred to the Histopathology laboratory are classified as ‘cancer pathway’ (CP) where the clinician thinks that cancer may be a possibility, or ‘non-cancer pathway’ (non-CP) for routine cases. Information on the current turnaround time (TAT) performance is shown below.
Breakdown of weekly Cancer pathway for July 2024
|
Cancer Pathway Speciality |
7 Day TAT | 10 Day TAT | 21 Day TAT |
Min of Overall TAT |
Average of Overall TAT |
Max of Overall TAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | 7 Day TAT 60.35% | 10 Day TAT 76.21% | 21 Day TAT 98.24% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.8 |
Average of Overall TAT 7.4 |
Max of Overall TAT 26.0 |
| Cardiology | 7 Day TAT 0.00% | 10 Day TAT 100.00% | 21 Day TAT 100.00% |
Min of Overall TAT 8.0 |
Average of Overall TAT 8.0 |
Max of Overall TAT 8.0 |
| Cytology | 7 Day TAT 92.21% | 10 Day TAT 95.13% | 21 Day TAT 99.51% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 3.4 |
Max of Overall TAT 47.3 |
|
Dermatology & Musculoskeletal |
7 Day TAT 8.02% | 10 Day TAT 29.37% | 21 Day TAT 77.22% |
Min of Overall TAT 2.1 |
Average of Overall TAT 17.8 |
Max of Overall TAT 153.2 |
| Gastrointestinal | 7 Day TAT 41.03% | 10 Day TAT 64.96% | 21 Day TAT 97.01% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 9.5 |
Max of Overall TAT 129.0 |
| Gynaecology | 7 Day TAT 62.65% | 10 Day TAT 82.55% | 21 Day TAT 98.43% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.8 |
Average of Overall TAT 7.9 |
Max of Overall TAT 66.1 |
| Haematology | 7 Day TAT 70.75% | 10 Day TAT 91.98% | 21 Day TAT 98.82% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 7.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 28.1 |
|
Head & Neck / Endocrine |
7 Day TAT 40.09% | 10 Day TAT 60.37% | 21 Day TAT 91.71% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 11.7 |
Max of Overall TAT 84.1 |
| Hepato-Biliary | 7 Day TAT 62.30% | 10 Day TAT 77.05% | 21 Day TAT 98.36% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.0 |
Average of Overall TAT 7.3 |
Max of Overall TAT 36.9 |
| Nephrology | 7 Day TAT 100.00% | 10 Day TAT 100.00% | 21 Day TAT 100.00% |
Min of Overall TAT 2.7 |
Average of Overall TAT 3.2 |
Max of Overall TAT 3.8 |
| Neurosurgery | 7 Day TAT 74.07% | 10 Day TAT 85.93% | 21 Day TAT 98.52% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 6.2 |
Max of Overall TAT 48.8 |
| Ophthalmology | 7 Day TAT 81.82% | 10 Day TAT 90.91% | 21 Day TAT 100.00% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.1 |
Average of Overall TAT 5.9 |
Max of Overall TAT 12.9 |
| Paediatric | 7 Day TAT 29.17% | 10 Day TAT 29.17% | 21 Day TAT 66.67% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.3 |
Average of Overall TAT 16.9 |
Max of Overall TAT 41.9 |
| Respiratory | 7 Day TAT 19.35% | 10 Day TAT 41.94% | 21 Day TAT 74.19% |
Min of Overall TAT 3.7 |
Average of Overall TAT 22.0 |
Max of Overall TAT 148.6 |
| Rheumatology | 7 Day TAT 100.00% | 10 Day TAT 100.00% | 21 Day TAT 100.00% |
Min of Overall TAT 2.1 |
Average of Overall TAT 2.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 2.1 |
| Urology | 7 Day TAT 38.13% | 10 Day TAT 59.73% | 21 Day TAT 92.00% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.1 |
Average of Overall TAT 11.2 |
Max of Overall TAT 57.2 |
Breakdown of weekly non-Cancer pathway TAT per speciality week beginning 10th July
|
Non-Cancer pathway speciality |
7 Day TAT | 10 Day TAT | 21 Day TAT |
Min of Overall TAT |
Average of Overall TAT |
Max of Overall TAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breast | 7 Day TAT 71.84% | 10 Day TAT 81.61% | 21 Day TAT 94.25% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 9.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 114.1 |
| Cardiology | 7 Day TAT 66.67% | 10 Day TAT 66.67% | 21 Day TAT 66.67% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.6 |
Average of Overall TAT 9.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 24.2 |
| Cytology | 7 Day TAT 92.46% | 10 Day TAT 95.24% | 21 Day TAT 99.21% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 3.0 |
Max of Overall TAT 38.1 |
|
Dermatology & Musculoskeletal |
7 Day TAT 4.48% | 10 Day TAT 7.81% | 21 Day TAT 14.38% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 80.8 |
Max of Overall TAT 168.3 |
| Gastrointestinal | 7 Day TAT 10.68% | 10 Day TAT 13.16% | 21 Day TAT 16.97% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 87.5 |
Max of Overall TAT 159.4 |
| Gynaecology | 7 Day TAT 11.42% | 10 Day TAT 15.38% | 21 Day TAT 18.88% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 68.7 |
Max of Overall TAT 139.1 |
| Haematology | 7 Day TAT 38.46% | 10 Day TAT 69.23% | 21 Day TAT 69.23% |
Min of Overall TAT 4.9 |
Average of Overall TAT 20.6 |
Max of Overall TAT 72.0 |
|
Head & Neck / Endocrine |
7 Day TAT 6.85% | 10 Day TAT 10.27% | 21 Day TAT 17.47% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.0 |
Average of Overall TAT 80.3 |
Max of Overall TAT 150.3 |
| Hepato-Biliary | 7 Day TAT 32.51% | 10 Day TAT 35.96% | 21 Day TAT 49.51% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 29.5 |
Max of Overall TAT 120.0 |
| Nephrology | 7 Day TAT 64.44% | 10 Day TAT 87.78% | 21 Day TAT 95.56% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 8.9 |
Max of Overall TAT 110.8 |
| Neurosurgery | 7 Day TAT 33.33% | 10 Day TAT 44.44% | 21 Day TAT 55.56% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 17.3 |
Max of Overall TAT 34.0 |
| Paediatric | 7 Day TAT 61.19% | 10 Day TAT 78.36% | 21 Day TAT 92.54% |
Min of Overall TAT 0.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 8.7 |
Max of Overall TAT 76.0 |
| Respiratory | 7 Day TAT 43.33% | 10 Day TAT 60.00% | 21 Day TAT 93.33% |
Min of Overall TAT 1.1 |
Average of Overall TAT 11.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 38.1 |
| Urology | 7 Day TAT 4.69% | 10 Day TAT 12.21% | 21 Day TAT 20.66% |
Min of Overall TAT 2.2 |
Average of Overall TAT 67.1 |
Max of Overall TAT 147.4 |
For professionals
More information is available to staff via the Histopathology page on Connect (opens in a new tab) (login required), including the Histopathology user handbook.