Book excerpt: The updated second edition of this highly practical guide helps pathology professionals quickly and accurately describe surgical and autopsy specimens as they perform gross dissection. It also helps clinicians and medical students interpret pathology reports with ease and precision. Gross Pathology Handbook provides a comprehensive list of 171 gross descriptive terms paired with images of gross specimens, including five new listings for the second edition. Each listing includes a brief commentary describing the gross appearance, the underlying disease process and commonly affected tissues. Christopher Horn and Dr. Christopher Naugler lay the framework for a standardized method of description, resulting in easier interpretation of reports by clinicians and improved communication among healthcare providers.