USCAP Gastrointestinal Pathology: Reaching the Diagnosis in Difficult Cases 2025

Gastrointestinal Pathology: Reaching the Diagnosis in Difficult Cases

Original Release Date: January 10, 2025

Course Description

This case-based, interactive microscopy course keeps participants on the cutting edge of gastrointestinal (GI) pathology and provides practical solutions to everyday diagnostic challenges. Participants will learn to:

• Distinguish reactive atypia from neoplasia
• Identify subtle findings in small tissue samples
• Determine the causes of GI tract ischemia
• Interpret cases based on the latest literature

Sessions focus on differentiating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from other enterocolitides, evaluating findings in immunosuppressed patients, linking upper and lower GI tract diseases, and subtyping both common and rare colorectal carcinomas.

This course offers digital slides for each presented case.

Presented in collaboration with: The Rodger C. Haggitt Gastrointestinal Pathology Society and USCAP.

Target Audience

Intended for practicing academic and community pathologists, as well as pathologists-in-training.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, learners will be able to:

• Evaluate GI biopsies and resections for ischemia and vasculitis
• Distinguish IBD from its mimics based on diagnostic and clinical criteria
• Describe histologic features of GI diseases in immunocompromised patients
• Integrate recent literature into daily pathology practice

Topics Included

• Subtypes of Colorectal Carcinoma: How to Identify Them and Why It Matters – Raul S. Gonzalez, MD
• Gastrointestinal Tract Ischemia and Vascular Injury: Elucidating Etiologies – Raul S. Gonzalez, MD
• Exaggerated Epithelial Atypia vs. True Malignancy – Laura H. Tang, MD, PhD
• Expected and Unexpected Findings in Small Tissue Biopsies – Laura H. Tang, MD, PhD
• Enterocolitis – Sometimes it’s IBD, Sometimes it’s Not – Purva Gopal, MD, MS
• HIV, Bugs, and Immunosuppressive Drugs: Challenging Cases Affecting the GI Tract – Purva Gopal, MD, MS
• A Practical Approach to Common Non-Neoplastic Gastric Pathology Problems – Namrata Setia, MD
• Challenges in Biomarker Interpretation in Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases – Namrata Setia, MD