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While we don’t see as many malignant diagnoses as pathologists on the adult side do (aka “The Grown-Ups”), our work has a profound impact on the care & well-being of the smallest & most vulnerable patients. 2/n
We diagnose medical conditions that, while not cancer, can make kids’ and families’ lives miserable, including:
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
- Reflux
- Aneurysmal bone cyst
- Osteoid osteoma
- Laryngeal papilloma
- Nevi
- Ovarian cysts
3/n
- Eosinophilic esophagitis
- Reflux
- Aneurysmal bone cyst
- Osteoid osteoma
- Laryngeal papilloma
- Nevi
- Ovarian cysts
3/n
As well as things that can turn ugly if left unattended:
- Biliary atresia
- GALD
- Transplant rejection
- Pulmonary sequestrations/CPAM/cysts
- IBD
- Congenital heart disease
4/n
- Biliary atresia
- GALD
- Transplant rejection
- Pulmonary sequestrations/CPAM/cysts
- IBD
- Congenital heart disease
4/n
And when a kiddo does turn up with cancer, we employ all methods at our disposal (flow cytometry, molecular, IHC, you name it) and put our heads together—across departments and across institutions and countries—to figure out the correct diagnosis. 5/n
We notice patterns that point to syndromes that might not be clinically apparent until a tumor pops up (e.g. DICER1 Syndrome, AFP, VHL, MEN), allowing kids & families to be tested and preventative care to be obtained. 6/n
And when we do autopsies, it’s for perhaps one of the greatest and heaviest honors: finding out why someone’s baby or child died. 7/n
So while our patients are small and our specimens are even smaller, our impact on patient care and kids’ lives in #pedipath is big! 
/fin
/fin
