Dr. Denise Wright Francois MD

Pathologist | Anatomic Pathology & Clinical Pathology

7700 Floyd Curl Dr San Antonio TX, 78229 Show map

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About

Dr. Denise Wright Francois is a pathologist practicing in San Antonio, TX. Dr. Wright Francois is a doctor who specializes in the study of bodily fluids and tissues. As a pathologist, Dr. Wright Francois can help your primary care doctor make a diagnosis about your medical condition. Dr. Wright Francois may perform a tissue biopsy to determine if a patient has cancer, practice genetic testing, and complete a number of laboratory examinations. Pathologists can also perform autopsies which can determine a persons cause of death and gain information about genetic progression of a disease.

Education and Training

University Of Colorado School Of Medicine 1994

Provider Details

FemaleEnglish 24 years of experience

Dr. Denise Wright Francois MD

Dr. Denise Wright Francois MD's Expert Contributions

My Answers

Can the infection causing a pneumonia show in a blood test?
Antibodies to certain types of infectious organisms can be detected in the blood and that can help determine the causative organism. If the infection has spread to the blood stream (sepsis) then a blood culture can identify the organism. There are some new genetic tests that can screen for the DNA of certain infectious agents. READ MORE
What samples are required for a DNA test?
Cheek swab would work, but he may ask for a blood sample. READ MORE
Lab work done 10/09/17 showed my Absolute Lymphocytes @ 5738. This is not the first time they were high. I had one @ 5400 months before October. My glands under chin swell.
An elevated lymphocyte count in adults may mean that a condition called chronic lymphocytic leukemia is present. Ask your doctor about a flow cytometry study to screen for CLL. READ MORE
How long should a urine culture take?
No the delay won’t make it faulty READ MORE
My urine culture report was sent to another lab for a bacteria resistance report. Why does this happen?
There was growth of bacteria on your culture and now the lab would like to determine which antibiotics won’t work because the bacteria is resistant to it. READ MORE
My mother's biopsy confirmed a malignant tumor. Should we consider a second opinion before the treatment?
You certainly can. Ask your doctor to have a second opinion on the biopsy result. READ MORE
How long does it take for a biopsy report to come?
Time varies considerably. Sometimes tumors need to have special stains or genetic testing to determine the nature of the malignancy. If these extra tests are ordered then the results will be delayed. Also, in some cases the look of the tumor is not straight forward and a second opinion or research may be necessary. Ideally, we like to have results in 2-3 days. READ MORE
My platelet count showed below the normal range specified in the report, but I don’t feel any symptoms. Why could this be?
If the platelet count is only slightly or moderately low then there may be no symptoms. If it is severely low, bleeding may occur (nose bleeds, bleeding gums, etc.). Confirmation of the low platelet count should be done by looking at peripheral blood smear. In some patients, the substance used to keep the blood from clotting after it is collected (the anticoagulant) can cause platelet clumping and that could result in falsely low platelet count. If that occurs, that is an error in testing and your platelets are not really low. Recollection of the blood in a different anticoagulant can fix the problem. READ MORE
My mole sample was sent to another lab. Should I be concerned?
Sometimes pathologists like to send certain types of specimens off to other pathologists with specialty training on that particular tissue type. it may be their routine practice. A second opinion could also mean that there is some concern about the lesion. Don’t worry just yet! Wait for the results. READ MORE
I have single lymph node enlargement. Is this due to cancer?
Lymph nodes can swell for a variety of reasons. The most common cause is in reaction to something such as an infection, an abscess or recent tattoo. Reactive lymph nodes are usually tender and rubbery, rather than hard. They can be easily moved under the skin. Malignant (cancerous) nodes are not usually tender, are hard and fixed in place. If the node has grown in size and has persisted without an identifiable cause, it’s best to see a physician, so that they can decide whether or not a biopsy is necessary. READ MORE