One‐Stop Diagnosis in Interventional Pathology: A 7‐Year Experience With On‐Demand Care for Superficial Nodules

• DOI: 10.1111/cyt.13478
• Publication Date: 2025-03-04T11:27:25Z
• Authors: Karen Villar‐Zarra; Héctor Enrique To...; Nerea Guerrero‐Fr...; María del Mar Olm...; Raúl Castañeda Vo...; Santiago Nieto Ll...; Jesús Nieves‐Alonso

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe growing demand for specialised healthcare often results in prolonged waiting times for diagnostic procedures, particularly in oncological pathology. Interventional pathology, wherein pathologists perform sample collection and diagnosis, offers a potential solution through same‐day diagnostic services.ObjectivesThis study aims to describe the operational framework of a One‐Stop interventional pathology consultation and analyse its outcomes, focusing on response times and diagnostic performance for patients with superficial nodules.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from 2016 to 2023. The consultation involved ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration (USFNA) and core needle biopsy (USCNB) performed by an interventional pathologist. Data on procedure adequacy, response times, and diagnostic outcomes were collected and analysed.ResultsA total of 877 procedures (718 USFNA, 159 USCNB) were performed. The median time from specialist request to definitive diagnosis was 2 days (interquartile range 1–4), with 18% of patients receiving a diagnosis on the same day. Adequacy rates were 98.6% for USFNA and 100% for USCNB, with low non‐diagnostic rates (USFNA: 3.2%; USCNB: 0.6%). Lymph nodes were the most commonly sampled organ, and head‐and‐neck areas were the predominant anatomical sites.ConclusionsThe One‐Stop interventional pathology model significantly reduced diagnostic times and improved patient experience. This efficient, patient‐centred approach demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy and low non‐diagnostic rates, supporting its viability for broader adoption. Further multicentre studies are needed to validate findings and optimise implementation.