• Orient the specimen if sutures or clips are present.  Contact the surgeon or staff pathologist if necessary.
• Measure the size of the specimen in three dimensions and note the general shape (e.g. ovoid, spherical).
• Record the presence of skin, fascia, and/or skeletal muscle.  Measure these structures.
• Blot dry the specimen and ink with multiple colors, if oriented; blot with paper towel wet with Bouin’s solution or alcohol.
• Bread-loaf the specimen at 2-3 mm intervals (perpendicular to the needle wire, when possible).
• Note nodule or mass (e.g. location, size, edge, necrosis) and measure (three dimensions). 
• Record the character of the tumor (e.g. shape, consistency, appearance of cut surface).
• Record the relationship of the tumor to the excision margins (specify which margin is nearest and give the distances to all margins).
• Search for satellite nodules.

• For benign fibrofatty tissue:  Submit < 10 blocks of fibrous parenchyma regardless of specimen size as a screening step.  If no carcinoma or atypical hyperplasia is identified among these blocks, no additional action is needed.
• For identifiable nodule or mass with or without microcalcifications:
• Excision less than 4 cm in greatest diameter:  Submit entirely.
• Excision larger than 4 cm in greatest diameter:  Submit entire nodule (or at least 4 sections) and adjacent margins.
• Sample margins not included above.  At least two sections should be taken perpendicular to each of the six inked surfaces (superior, inferior, medial, lateral, superficial or anterior, and deep or posterior), with additional samples of margins determined by the gross findings (e.g. tumor is very close to the margin).

Received without fixative/in formalin, labeled _____and "_____" is a _____ (shape, color) fibrofatty soft tissue fragment measuring __ x __ x __ cm and weighing ____ g, with an attached __ x __ x cm skin ellipse and a needle wire in situ coursing from the ___ (e.g. superior-lateral) to the ___ aspect.  Also received is a specimen radiograph showing clusters of calcifications/area of increased density.  The specimen is oriented by two sutures:  long = __; short = __.  The specimen is inked as follows:  blue = superior, green = inferior, red = medial, yellow = lateral, black = posterior.  There is a central/eccentric __ x __ x __ cm (lesion & feature, e.g., solid/cystic nodule) corresponding to the radiographically-identified area of calcifications/increased density.  The nodule has an infiltrative/stellate/rounded margin and is ___ cm from the ___ margin, ___ cm from the ___ margin, and ___ cm from the ___ margin.  It is greater than 2 cm from all other margins.  A second separate ___ x ___ x ___ cm solid/cystic nodule with an infiltrative/stellate/rounded margin is noted in the _____ portion of the specimen, ___ cm from the first nodule and ___ cm from the closest (_____) margin.  The remaining cut surface is yellow and fatty.  __% of the specimen is submitted for histological evaluation.

#__ - #__ = nodule and closest (e.g. superior) margin; ___ pieces in each.

#__ - #__ = nodule and ____ and ____ margins; 1 piece in each.

#__ - #__ = closest ___ margin; ___ pieces.

#__ - #__ = closest ____ and ____ margins; ___ pieces in each.

__ blocks, __ H&E