Overview
The Hematopathology service covers the University of Alabama at Birmingham's 1,190-bed tertiary care major medical center, satellite clinics, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center (including an active leukemia/lymphoma/myeloma clinical trials program), bone marrow and organ transplantation programs, major AIDS center, referred cases from UAB Pathology outreach services (Community Practice Pathology Programs), Birmingham VA Medical Center, Children’s of Alabama, and outside consultations.
Approximately 7,500 cases are processed each year, including 4,600 flow cytometry cases,1,400 bone marrow biopsies, and 1,400 lymph node biopsies and consult cases. The Hematopathology team handles flow cytometric analysis for lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms, including, in selected cases, minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia. Additionally, the Hematopathology service reviews approximately 1,500 per year flagged peripheral blood, CSF, peritoneal/pleural, BAL fluid smears and all hemoglobin capillary electrophoresis (CE) analysis (approximately 4,000/year), as well as provides input on cases from other subspecialties when there is a question of a hematologic neoplasm.
Our Faculty
Vishnu Reddy, MD, Professor, Laboratory Medicine - Section Head
John Choi, MD, PhD, Professor, Laboratory Medicine
Diana Morlote, MD, Assistant Professor, Genomic Diagnostics & Bioinformatics
Aishwarya Ravindran, M.D., Assistant Professor, Laboratory Medicine
Frida Rosenblum, MD, Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology
Adam Wilberger, MD, Assistant Professor, Laboratory Medicine
Residency/Fellowship Training
Pathology Resident Education at the University of Alabama Medical Center
Residents spend four months in the core Hematopathology rotation; they are primarily responsible for bone marrow, peripheral blood, lymph node, and other specimens involved by hematologic disorders. Daily sign-out occurs as two separate services (Bone Marrow / Flow cytometry and Lymph nodes/outside consults). Hematopathology fellows guide and share cases, review with faculty member at AM or PM session at multiheaded microscopes. Fellows are usually present at each sign-out, and there are often rotating Hem/Onc fellows or medical students. Residents are responsible for reporting all diagnostic modalities on their cases, for example: bone marrow biopsy, aspirate smear, peripheral blood smear, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemistry are reviewed together by one resident-fellow- faculty team, reinforcing the importance of integrated reporting of hematologic neoplasms. The residents incorporate other ancillary test results into the draft reports. The Hematopathology faculty give didactic lectures to the residents during the rotation, including an intensive series of practically-oriented lectures and slide review sessions during the daily sign-out sessions.
Hematopathology Fellowship Program
The Hematopathology Fellowship at UAB is a one-year program, fully accredited by ACGME for two fellows towards subspecialty board certification. The program includes experience in all major aspects of hematopathology, including morphology, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, coagulation, pediatric hematopathology and diagnostic molecular pathology. Fellows are responsible for initial review, final drafts of bone marrow, lymph node biopsies, complex consult cases and other hematopoietic entities. Fellows supervise the residents in bone marrow, flow cytometry, lymph node diagnosis and consults. Fellows have teaching responsibilities to junior residents and at MS-II student Hematology/Oncology module of the UAB Heersink School of Medicine. The fellows also participate in clinical research projects during the fellowship, and presentation at national meetings is strongly encouraged.
Hematopathology Tumor Boards and Educational Conferences
Hematopathology attendings and fellows participate in a number of weekly, biweekly multidisciplinary conferences (heme malignancy, Lymphoma, Heme-Onc tumor boards, etc.) with the Hematology/ Oncology division focused on pathology/flow/molecular findings, imaging modalities and treatment considerations. UAB Hematology/Oncology fellows rotate at Hematopathology sign-out sessions as well. Hematopathology attendings, fellows and residents attend and present cases at daily afternoon department-wide Consultants’ Conference. In addition, journal clubs are presented by fellows and residents at weekly Laboratory Medicine conferences.
Hematopathology Consultation and Tests
The Hematopathology team provides comprehensive expert consultative service for bone marrow, lymph node and other hematolymphoid entities and related disease conditions. A full-range multi-parameter flow cytometry is available, as well as comprehensive immunohistochemical evaluation of hematolymphoid lesions. The Flow Cytometry lab offers CTCL, LGL, immunodeficiency panels and minimal disease detection (MRD) protocols for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, multiple myeloma and myeloid leukemias. The Genomic division offers B&T cell clonality testing and a NGS myeloid panel. The UAB Core Hematology laboratory performs a high volume of tests, exceeding 398,000 tests/year, which includes CBC, UA, body fluids and bone marrows. The Cellavision® instrument for automated differential counts is online and the medical team has remote viewing access to flagged smears. The Special Hematology lab offers serum viscosity and osmotic fragility testing.
Hematopathology Consult Submission Instructions
Please complete the consultation request form, print, and send with the slides or blocks.
Send slides or blocks to:
UAB Department of Pathology
North Pavilion 3rd Floor, Room 3518
1802 6th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Phone: 205-934-4977 Fax: 205-934-7834
Contact Us
Vishnu V. Reddy, MD, Professor of Pathology
Director, Hematopathology Fellowship
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
619 19th Street South, P230A
Birmingham, AL 35233
vreddy@uabmc.edu
Hematopathology Fellowship Information
Program Coordinator
Telephone: (205) 975-3450 Fax: (205) 975-PATH
E-mail: path-fellowships@uabmc.edu
Website: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/pathology/education/fellowship-program