Healthcare And Pathology

WHAT IS PATHOLOGY?

Pathology is the study of disease. It is the bridge between science and medicine. It underpins every aspect of patient care, from diagnostic testing and treatment advice to using cutting-edge genetic technologies and preventing disease.

The word "pathology" means the study of diseases processes. Pathology involves examining the cause of illness, how it develops, the effect of the illness on cells and the outcome of the illness.

The aspects of illness that may be studied include cellular pathology, cell necrosis or cell death, wound healing, cancer formation and inflammation. A combination of both anatomical pathology and clinical pathology is termed general pathology.

For a person to qualify as a pathologist, they need to complete a medical degree and a residency program that leads to certification from approved boards

TYPES OF PATHOLOGY

·         Anatomical pathology

This area of pathology involves the examination of surgical specimens removed from the body or sometimes the examination of the whole body (autopsy) to investigate and diagnose disease. On examining a biopsy, the following aspects are considered:

·         Surgical pathology - This involves the examination of specimens obtained during surgery such as a breast lump biopsy obtained during mastectomy

·         Histopathology - This refers to the examination of cells under a microscope after they have been stained with appropriate dyes.

·         Cytopathology - In cytopathology, cells that have been shed into bodily fluids or have been obtained by scraping or aspirating tissue are examined. Typical examples include cervical smear, sputum and gastric washings.

·         Forensic pathology involves the post mortem examination of a corpse for the cause of death using a process called autopsy.

·         Dermatopathology concerns the study of skin diseases.

·         Clinical pathology

This branch of pathology involves the laboratory analysis of body fluids (such as blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluid) and bodily tissue for the diagnosis of disease. Some of the main subspecialties of clinical pathology include: