Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
frozen section
Rapid intraoperative histopathological examination of tissue using frozen tissue preparation techniques.
Full Definition
Frozen section analysis is an intraoperative pathological technique used to provide rapid histological diagnosis during surgery. The tissue specimen is quickly frozen, sectioned, stained, and examined microscopically while the patient remains under anesthesia. In endocrine surgery, frozen sections are commonly used to evaluate thyroid nodules for malignancy, assess surgical margins, and guide the extent of thyroidectomy. However, frozen section has limitations in thyroid pathology, particularly in distinguishing follicular adenoma from follicular carcinoma.
Usage
Usage note: Use as a compound noun. May be abbreviated as 'FS' in operative notes.
In Context
- "Frozen section confirmed malignancy, prompting conversion to total thyroidectomy." — operative report
- "The surgeon requested frozen section analysis of the suspicious right lobe nodule." — intraoperative consultation
Also known as
intraoperative consultation
frozen biopsy
Contrasted with
permanent section
paraffin section
Don't confuse with
fine needle aspiration
core biopsy