Histopathology refers to the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease. Specifically, in clinical medicine, histopathology refers to the examination of a biopsy or surgical specimen by a pathologist, after the specimen has been processed and histological sections have been placed onto glass slides.
Histopathological examination of tissues starts with surgery, biopsy, or autopsy. The tissue is removed from the body and then placed in a fixative which stabilizes the tissues to prevent decay. The most common fixative is formalin.
Histopathology of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast representing a scirrhous growth.