Pathology is the study of disease. When doctors take a sample of your blood, urine, or body tissue, it goes to the Pathology Department for examination and interpretation. Pathologists are experts in interpreting the type and severity of disease. At the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Pathology Department, we work with doctors in oncology, surgery, transplantation, and other areas. We analyze the sample, make recommendations, and provide a report to the doctor who ordered the test.

We are part of the Mount Sinai Health System Pathology Department, an institution that has been making important contributions to the field of pathology for more than a century. As a result, we have access to the latest technology and research—which is often not available at a smaller neighborhood hospital.

Doctors use our findings to:

• Diagnose a disease or condition: Early diagnosis leads to early treatment, which improves the chances of a good outcome.
• Rule out other diseases: Some symptoms can be caused by more than one illness; pathology reports can help doctors clarify a diagnosis.
• Develop a treatment plan: Pathology findings can indicate how far along the disease is, which affects how to treat it.
• Use precision medicine: Recent advances in diagnostic computing technology, genetic sequencing, and new bioinformatics tools let us make an extremely accurate diagnosis, which enables doctors to develop more individualized treatment plans.   
• Assess the disease progression: Follow-up testing can show doctors if a given treatment is working—and how well.
• Provide information to the surgeon during a procedure: Sometimes pathology information can guide the decisions a surgeon makes during a procedure.
• Give second opinions: By examining the results of diagnostic tests performed at another facility, we can make sure the diagnosis is accurate and the treatment plan is appropriate.
• Check patient tissue for genetic anomalies: By assessing your genetic makeup, we can help you and a genetic counselor understand how genetic conditions might affect you and your family.

 At the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Pathology Department, we perform two basic types of pathology analyses:

• Clinical pathology, which studies fluids such as blood and urine
• Anatomical pathology, which looks at tissue, such as from a biopsy

State-of-the-Art Techniques and Technology

Mount Sinai Brooklyn Pathology Department brings the very latest pathology technology to Brooklyn. We use digital imaging and next-generation sequencing that increase accuracy and speeds up communication. In addition to our state-of-the-art facilities and experts, we also have access, digitally, to experts across the Mount Sinai Health System. Should we need to consult with a subspecialist—such as cytopathologists, dermatopathologists, and neuropathologists—digital pathology makes the process quick and accurate.

Privacy Considerations

At the Mount Sinai Brooklyn Pathology Department, we pay close attention to keeping your data safe and secure. We use the latest data encryption and internet security to protect your diagnostic test results and reports. We comply with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations.

Research

The Pathology Department also plays a role in research. As Mount Sinai Brooklyn is part of the Mount Sinai Health System, our patients have access to participate in a variety of clinical trials, including those for myeloma. In addition, through our collaboration with the Division of Medical Genetics and Genomics at The Mount Sinai Hospital, we are plugged into the Genetic Counseling Program. We offer our Brooklyn patients the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research to help further understanding, prevention, treatment, and cure of various diseases.