Josephine M. Harter, MD

Clinical Pathologist / Laboratory Medicine Pathologist

Dr. Josephine M. Harter is a Clinical Pathologist / Laboratory Medicine Pathologist in Madison, WI with special training and skill in chemistry, microbiology, and immunology. As a Clinical Pathologist / Laboratory Medicine Pathologist, Josephine M. Harter, MD performs diagnostic tests on bodily fluids and tissue samples. Clinical Pathology / Laboratory Medicine is the use of laboratory tests to treat and prevent disease. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Clinical Pathologists / Laboratory Medicine Pathologists include infections, diabetes, and cancer. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Clinical Pathologists / Laboratory Medicine Pathologists include blood test, urine tests, and bone marrow biopsies.

A pathologist deals with the causes and nature of disease and contributes to diagnosis, prognosis and treatment through knowledge gained by the laboratory application of the biologic, chemical and physical sciences. A pathologist uses information gathered from the microscopic examination of tissue specimens, cells and body fluids, and from clinical laboratory tests on body fluids and secretions for the diagnosis, exclusion and monitoring of disease.

Cytopathologist

Dr. Josephine M. Harter is a Cytopathologist in Madison, WI with special training and skill in diagnosing diseases by looking at single cells and small clusters of cells in tissue samples. As a Cytopathologist, Josephine M. Harter, MD performs microscopic examination and diagnosis of cells. Cytopathology is the detection of abnormal cells to diagnose disease. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Cytopathologists include cancer. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Cytopathologists include scraping, sponging, fine needle aspiration, and pap smear.

A cytopathologist is an anatomic pathologist trained in the diagnosis of human disease by means of the study of cells obtained from body secretions and fluids, by scraping, washing, or sponging the surface of a lesion, or by the aspiration of a tumor mass or body organ with a fine needle. A major aspect of a cytopathologist's practice is the interpretation of Papanicolaou-stained smears of cells from the female reproductive systems, the "Pap" test. However, the cytopathologist's expertise is applied to the diagnosis of cells from all systems and areas of the body. He/she is a consultant to all medical specialists.