This short course focuses on practical issues that are encountered during the evaluation of medical native renal biopsies. Glomerular diseases to be presented include: 1) focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), collapsing and not otherwise specified (NOS) variants, 2) membranous nephropathy, 3) membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, 4) IgA nephropathy, 5) lupus nephritis, 6) anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) nephritis, 7) Alport syndrome, 8) fibrillary glomerulonephritis, 9) diabetic nephropathy. Important diagnostic features and clinically relevant pathologic features that have prognostic or therapeutic implications will be discussed. Furthermore, histopathologic classifications for FSGS, IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, and ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis have been recently established through international collaborative efforts and these will be reviewed with emphasis on the clinically relevant pathologic features.

Upon completing this course, participants should be able to: 1) systematically approach the evaluation of glomeruli, incorporating light, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy in diagnosing glomerular diseases; 2) recognize the major histopathologic, immunopathologic, and ultrastructural features of common glomerular diseases and their histologic variants, and; 3) apply recent pathologic classifications for FSGS, IgA nephropathy, lupus nephritis, diabetic nephropathy, and ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis in the proper context.

The course is designed for surgical pathologists who have responsibility for renal pathology cases, pathology residents, and renal pathology fellows. Pre-registrants will be able to preview virtual slides and still images of the cases prior to the meeting on the USCAP website, including light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. A course syllabus reviewing diagnostic features, differential diagnosis, pathologic classifications and providing a comprehensive reference list will be distributed at the meeting. All course registrants will also receive web access to the PowerPoint presented at the USCAP Annual Meeting along with the text portion of the syllabus after the meeting.

(NEW COURSE) This course may be used for CME credits or SAM credits.