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Outside the Lab Profession, Hematology, Microbiology and immunology

Pathology on Canvas

Can you believe it’s been eight years since we first asked the pathology and laboratory medicine community to contribute to our inaugural image issue? And yet, in our octennial year, we’ve never had more creative, eye-catching, and surprising submissions to sift through.

For 2023, we are proud to feature a plethora of pieces in a variety of mediums – from abstract canvases dripping with H&E splendor to hand drawn illustrations that show off the sensorial experiences of grossing.

We are always impressed by the amazing talent that resides within pathology and laboratory medicine. But know that this gallery is but only a small snapshot – a single brushstroke on the giant canvas of this community’s skill and creativity.

Inside a Cell

I made a cake depicting a B-cell's structure with organelles, antibodies, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II proteins. It shows the nucleus containing chromatin, which spirals into a DNA helix with histones and shows individual bases. Most of the decorations are made of modeling chocolate; the cell membrane is buttercream.

Credit: Alivea Smith-Andrews, Medical Laboratory Scientist, LabPLUS, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand

Pap Rose Painting

I painted this picture after a cytology-GYN rotation because the squamous cells reminded me of petals.

Credit: Andrea Shields, PGY-2, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA

A Zoological Safari Through Tissue Specimens

Ductal Chameleon

Ductal Giraffe

Endocervical School of Fish

Ductal Crocodile Swallowing a Fish

Credit: Anoosha Murthy, Consultant Pathologist and Quality Manager, Celara Diagnostics, Bangalore, India.

Halloween Carving, A Benign Abstract, Perched on a Tree

Halloween Carving: I couldn't think of a better way to express my love for both pathology and Halloween.

A Benign Abstract: I was previewing a Pap stain of a benign thyroid nodule when its beautiful colors caught my attention.

Perched on a Tree: Cervical Pap smear resembles bird.

Perched on a Tree: Cervical Pap smear resembles bird.

Credit: Apeksha Agarwal, Cytopathology Fellow, UT Health San Antonio, Texas, USA

Adipose Stems, Squamous Rainbow, The Wall Art

Adipose stems: Acrylic abstract painting on a 12x 12 in. canvas

Squamous Rainbow: Acrylic abstract painting on a 10x 10 in. canvas

The Wall: Acrylic abstract painting on a 10x 10 in. canvas

Credit: Aswathy Miriam Cheriyan, MD MPH, PGY 4 Anatomic & Clinical Pathology, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA, US.

Perfect Flower

Fruiting body of Aspergillus fungus identified in the maxillary sinus tissue of a post-COVID-19 patient.

Credit: Chitturi Ramya, Associate Professor, NRI Medical College, Chinakakani, India

Sea of Cartilage, Trees of Ferning, Geometry of Colloid, Balloons and Vegetables, Flowers of Prostate

Flowers of Prostate: Corpora amylacea, 20 x magnification

Sea of Cartilage: Cartilage, 40x magnification

Trees of Ferning: KOH ferning, 20x magnification

Geometry of Colloid: Colloid, 20x magnification

Balloons and Vegetables: Vegetable material, 40x magnification

Credit: Evanthia Omoscharka, Pathology Residency Program Director and Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Cytopathology and Point of Care Director, University Health, Kansas City, Missouri, US

Little Bird, Gouty Stained Glass, Lymphoma Flowers

Little Bird: The bird is molluscum contagiosum in a biopsy of a penile lesion

Gouty Stained Glass: The stained glass is a gouty tophus under polarized light

Lymphoma Flowers: The flowers are high grade lymphoma in a pleural fluid

Credit: Faye Smith-Chakmakova, Pathologist, Barton Memorial Hospital, South Lake Tahoe, California, US

Stepping Stains to Histology

Mouse embryo paws stained with H&E and Alcian blue/Masson’s trichrome.

Credit: Frazer Bell, Histopathology Technician, Histology Research Service/ Veterinary Diagnostics Services, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow

Searching For a Cure

This image was rendered in Daz Studio software using empiric assets with a laboratory setting. A touch-up for additional lighting was performed in Adobe Photoshop.

Credit: Jaye H. Paulman, Laboratory Manager at Southview Medical Group, Birmingham, AL, USA

Chirp, Chirp

This image shows H&E staining with a group of red blood cells aggregated in the shape of a bird.

Credit: Linlin Gao, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA

Fibroadenoma Fox

Ductal elements create a curious fox in this section from a fibroadenoma resection. Hematoxylin & eosin at 40X magnification.

Credit: Lynn Messersmith, Pathologist, Martin Army Community Hospital, Ft. Benning, Georgia

Pancreatic Tumor, Giant Cell Tumor of Bone, Glioblastoma

Pancreatic Tumor: Concept art of a pancreatic tumor, located at the head of the pancreas with D2 compression. Knowledge of the anatomic relations is fundamental for understanding clinical symptoms as well as gross examination and sampling

Giant Cell Tumor of Bone: Concept art of a giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone. GCT is one of the most common bone tumors and it is easily recognized by its spatial heterogeneity. GCT induces marked bone destruction and may exhibit soft tissue extension. Based on an original image from the World Health Organization.

Glioblastoma: Concept art of a glioblastoma. Based on an original image from Pathorama (pathorama.ch).

Credit: Mariana Duarte Riberio, Anatomical Pathology Unit, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Portugal.

Embroidered Kidney, Bone Brontosaurus

Embroidered Kidney: A fiber art creation to showcase this wonderful organ

Bone Brontosaurus: A dinosaur captured under the microscope

Credit: Meagan Chambers, Resident, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

The Patient Behind the Lens

Michele Mitchell is a breast cancer survivor. Since retirement, she has devoted her time to patient advocacy. Michele takes the advocacy role seriously: “it is a great honor to educate and empower patients, move the needle on important issues, and make a real difference in healthcare policy, quality, and safety.”

Credit: Michele Mitchell, Co-Chair of the University of Michigan Dept of Pathology Patient and Family Advisory Council

Blood Cells, Breathe, Renal, Whipple, Thyroid and Trachea

Blood Cells: Watercolor on cotton paper. Recreation of a piece by LyonRoadArt.

Breathe: Abstract watercolor on cotton paper. Recreation of a piece by Katharine Asher.

Renal: Kidney watercolor on cotton paper.

Whipple: Pancreaticoduodenectomy with tail and gallbladder. Watercolor on cotton paper.

Thyroid and Trachea: Watercolor on cotton paper. Recreation of a piece by an unknown artist.

Credit: Rachel Dunlap BA, MS, PA(ASCP)cm; Pathologists’ Assistant; Chicago Area Autopsy Service; Chicago, IL

Pathology on Canvas

In this art piece, H&E stain colors were used as the primary theme.

Credit: Regina Zavodovskaya, Associate Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist, VDx, Davis, California, USA.

Crochet Microscope

What do you give the lab professional who has everything?

What do you give the lab professional who has everything?

What do you give the lab professional who has everything?

Credit: Renee Fraser, Cytotechnologist, Northwestern Medicine-West Region, Winfield, Illinois, USA

I Love You with My Microscopic Hearts, Speed Doesn't Matter, My Fur Baby

I Love You with My Microscopic Hearts: A personal collection of images from different tissues and organs

Speed Doesn't Matter: An orange turtle discovered under the microscope

My Fur Baby: A canine friend in histology

 

Credit: Rico P. Lasaca, Department of Pathology, Divine Word Hospital, Tacloban, Philippines

Blood Cells, GI Mucosa, LSIL

Blood Cells: Acrylic painting

GI Mucosa: Acrylic painting

LSIL: Acrylic painting

Credit: Shabnam Seydafkan, Resident Physician, PGY-4, Department of Pathology, SUNY Downstate Health, Brooklyn, New York

The Brook in the Epidermal Cyst

Photomicrograph of an epidermal cyst. Cyst content retracted from the wall gives the appearance of a brook.

Credit: Syed Salahuddin Ahmed, Senior Consultant in Pathology, Delta Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A Pathologist’s Universe Is in the Microscope, Butterflies in a Glandular Garden

A Pathologist’s Universe Is in the Microscope: In a universe of innumerable pathological conditions, the pathologist's tool, the microscope, is like a telescope – a powerful tool to explore a different universe of its own kind.

Butterflies in a Glandular Garden

Credit: Vasudev Prabhu, Consultant Pathologist, Tejasvini Hospital, Mangaluru, India

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About the Authors
Bibiana Campos Seijo

George Francis Lee

Deputy Editor, The Pathologist

Interested in how disease interacts with our world. Writing stories covering subjects like politics, society, and climate change.


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Associate Editor for the Pathologist

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