L 1 The Scope Of Pathology
Terms
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- Experimental Pathology
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Aimed at defining specific cellular and molecular abnormalities responsible for abnormal states.
Observation of effects of manipulations on experimental systems:
- animal models of disease
- cell cultures
Carried out in University Departments, Research Institutions and Departments Of Pathology. - Diagnosis
- The act of identifying a disease in an individual patient.
- The process of diagnosis involves:
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* Taking a clinical history to document symptoms.
* Examine patient for clinical signs.
* perform investigations guided by provisional diagnosis based on signs and symptoms.
- which organ or body system is affected?
- which general category of disease is present? (eg inflammation, tumours)
- use age, gender, previous medical history etc to deduce a diagnosis or small number of possibilities for investigation.
- Only perform investigations if outcome can resolve the diagnosis or influence the management of the diagnosis. - Diagnostic Pathology / Laboratory Medicine
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Identifies characteristic alterations or abnormalities that specifically identify particular diseases.
Thus identifies molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for that disease. - Therapy
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Treatment.
Once an exact diagnosis has been established, correct and effective therapy can be prescribed.
Rational therapy is directed at the control or elimination of the mechanisms responsible for the disease. - morbidity
- pathologic or diseased condition
- Anatomic Pathology / Morbid Anatomy
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The study of the alterations and organisation of cells, tissues and organs which are associated with disease.
Gross or macroscopic pathology - Histopathology
- The investigation and diagnosis of disease from the examination of tissues at the microscopic level.
- Cytopathology
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The study of cells which may be abnormal
Investigates and diagnoses disease from the examination of isolated cells. - Chemical Pathology / Clinical Pathology
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The study of biochemical alterations associated with disease.
Studying disease at the molecular level.
Often evident in body fluids eg. blood, plasma, urine
Cross-sectional analysis of the cause and mechanisms of the disease, and the effect of the disease upon organs and systems of the body. - Veterinary Pathology
- Branch of pathology concerned with diseases in animals
- Forensic pathology
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Branch of pathology concerned with the application of medical knowledge to legal problems.
eg cause of death, crime.
(interaction between law and medicine) - Haematology
- Study of disorders of the cellular and coagulable components of blood
- Immunology
- Study of the specific defence mechanisms of the body
- Microbiology
- The study of infectious diseases and the organisms responsible for them
- Oncology
- Study of tumours (= new growths, cancer)
- Disease
- A disturbance of the structure or function of the body or part of it.
- pathos
- suffering, that which inspires pity, eg like people with illness or disease.
- logos
- lecture, logic, study
- Pathology
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The scientific study of diseases.
Includes knowledge and understanding of structural,functional, genetic and biochemical changes in disease.ie from the molecular level to the effects on the individual.
Ultimate goal = to identify causes of diseases to enable the prevention of disease. - Toxicology
- The study of the effects of known or suspected poisons
- General Pathology
- Current understanding of the causation, mechanisms and characteristics of the major categories of disease.
- Systematic Pathology
- Current knowledge of specific diseases as they affect individual organs or systems
- List the chief characteristics that apply to any disease
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incidence
aetiology
pathogenesis
pathological and clinical features
complications and sequelae
prognosis
treatment - Autopsy
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Necropsy
Postmortem examination - Autopsies are useful for:
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- determining the cause of death
- audit of the accuracy of clinical diagnosis
- education of undergraduates and postgraduates
- research into the causes and mechanisms of disease
- gathering accurate statistics about disease incidence