The NSH Workload and Staffing Tool is designed to help laboratories and organizations benchmark their staffing and productivity against other organizations/labs that report similar size and environment.  This tool utilizes the data collected during the 2021 NSH Workload Study.  The study was designed to assess productivity and staffing in the clinical histology laboratory. The Productivity Benchmarking Survey was developed by the NSH Quality Management Committee with the intent to provide usable data for laboratories and organizations to aid in making better staffing decisions.  

This tool provides three unique profile questions that will in turn display the data collected from the 2021 survey that relates to the profile selections.  Additionally, narrative information will be provided and can be downloaded.  

Once a diagnosis of cancer has been established, the tissue specimen containing tumor may be referred for molecular testing (e.g., DNA and RNA sequencing) to detect genomic alterations that can select patients for targeted therapy. However, will these targeted treatments be effective? “Confirmational Proteomics” is an application of immunohistochemistry that can evaluate the tumor “landscape” for overexpression or loss of specific proteins associated with genomic alterations, and which may help guide therapy for patients with certain types of cancer.

Presented by Dr. Richard Cartun, MD

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine, in which the lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers. About 1 million people in the United States have this disease, and it can impact daily living if not treated. This session will explore the histopathology of ulcerative colitis.

Presented by David Krull, HT(ASCP)QIHC, Scientific Leader, GSK

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. With early diagnosis, some breast cancers are highly curable. However, the concordance rate of breast cancer diagnosis from histology slides by pathologists is unacceptably low. Classifying normal versus tumor breast tissues from breast histology microscopy images is an ideal case to use for deep learning and could help to more reproducibly diagnose breast cancer. This webinar will discuss using 42 combinations of deep learning models, image data preprocessing techniques, and hyperparameter configurations, with accuracy testing of tumor versus normal classification using the Breast Cancer Histology (BACH) dataset. Results of this process will be shared to demonstrate preprocessing and hyperparameter configurations have a direct impact on the performance of deep neural networks for image classification.

Presented by Qiangqiang Gu, MS, PhD Candidate, University of Minnesota

The Journal of Histotechnology's passion for advancing ocular histology can be dated back to its birth year, 1977[1]. In addition to embedding medium and microtomy, many technical improvements have been made in the last half century. In its 45th anniversary special issue this December, the Journal will feature manuscripts, including Dr. Wang's, that address scientific and technical advancements in ocular histology field.  

This general session will provide insight if you struggle to achieve mouse eyeball preparation free of distortion such as shrinking and eyeball wall denting during fixation and paraffin processing, or if you have difficulty keeping ocular sections on glass slides while performing immunohistochemistry (IHC) or in situ hybridization (ISH) assays. In addition to reviewing the modified Davidson’s fixative and window technique for eyeball specimens, I will introduce our simplified and highly effective procedure for performing ocular histology which includes a novel fixative and a modified glass coating method. 

[1] Fischer MW. Embedding Paraffins for Eye Microtomy. J Histotechnol. 1977; 1(2); 67.  DOI: 10.1179/his.1977.1.2.67

Leadership is an enigmatic field of thought and action that is difficult to define, describe, and teach, yet is unmistakable in its manifestation within the adroit individual who displays its most inherent traits. Leadership can lead to happiness in those touched by its presence. Highly successful leaders are said to embody the essence of excellence in four major intelligences: skillful knowledge (IQ), emotional (EQ), social (SQ) and cultural (CQ). As leaders in pathology, histotechnicians and pathologists are well known to be highly sensitive and intelligent professionals, trusted by scores of other healthcare professionals who depend upon crucial laboratory results to inform patient care. Yet, all too often we may suffer with compassion fatigue, overworked staffs, and ever-changing medical paradigms that take away from our happiness. The science of happiness shows that leaders have the capacity to modulate their habits and biases to overcome challenges within themselves, and help others to achieve the same. By examining the roles of applied leadership principles on inner work life, triangulated working relationships, and the hierarchy of basic human needs, pathology and histology professionals can learn how they can affect the conditions leading to happiness in others. Learning to harness the power of the four major leadership intelligences will help to strengthen leadership characteristics in professionals, leading to improved health and happiness of employees, customers, and ultimately, patients.

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Listen to the podcasts and earn a .5 CEU!

Featured Podcasts: 

Title:  (P-03) Histological assessment of C1q expression and deposition at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) in Tibialis Anterior (TA) Tissue of SOD1G93A Mouse Model
Presenting Author: Joseph Vereen, MS, Annexon Biosciences, Brisbane, CA

Title: (P-01) Comparative Study of Two Reprocessing Methods for Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tissue
Presenting Author: Matthew Lunetta BS HT(ASCP)cm

CEUs: This histology course is worth .5 continuing education credit. Course is available for 365 days from date of purchase.   

Artificial Intelligence (AI) uses computer systems to emulate human intelligence processes such as visual perception, decision-making, and communication. Advances in AI technology and associated technology such as cloud storage and faster computer processors have paved the way for applying AI in digital image processing. Concurrently, the adoption of Digital Pathology (DP) has ushered in an era wherein AI can be used to process Whole Slide Images (WSI) and glean clinically relevant information from WSIs.

This talk is designed to explain current digital pathology use-cases such as tumor detection, grading, and subtyping. Further, the talk will demystify the underlying AI principles in advanced WSI analysis such as mutation prediction, survival prediction, multiplexing, spatial transcriptomics, and virtual staining. Finally, the talk will highlight current initiatives to integrate data from microscopic and macroscopic levels to strengthen pathology decision-making.

There are commonly used histochemical staining techniques performed in the routine Histology laboratory on a daily basis. This presentation will be a basic review of these stains and the staining mechanisms. We will identify the stains and discuss the reagents. We will address some troubleshooting basics and also some of the clinical indicators for the ordering of these stains. The stains discussed in this presentation will be: connective tissue stains, microorganism stains, carbohydrate stains and exogenous/endogenous pigment stains. This will be a nice review if one is preparing for the certification exam. There will be much information discussed.

Presented by Linda McDonald, HT(ASCP), Cleveland Clinic Foundation

This study tool provides a diagnostic question bank based on the ASCP QIHC Content Outline.  You can take the diagnostic test as many times as you wish, and each experience will provide a unique testing experience.   It also provides top rated IHC learning webinars to help you further your knowledge in preparation for the QIHC exam.