Introduction to Pathology and Cardiovascular Pathology
Overview of pathology
- Is the science at the heart of modern medicine and pathologists are vital to the diagnosis
and clinical management of disease
- Is a medical specialty looking at disease processes and their cause
- Pathologists are involved in clinical practice, research, education and clinical consultation,
and also play an important role in result interpretation
Histopathology (also called ‘Anatomical Pathology’)
- Microscopic study of organs and tissues to determine the causes and effects of particular
disease
o Solid tissue from living patients or from an autopsy
o Or specimens (of separated cells) in fluids or tissue smears (cytology)
o Cytology = the exam of a single cell type, as often found in fluid specimens
When the specimen arrives to the pathology lab:
o Gross (naked eye) examination
o H&E (light microscopy)
o Special stains
o Immunohistochemistry
o Electron microscopy
o Immunofluorescence
o Molecular biology
o Etc until diagnosis is reached
- Some subspecialties include:
- Cytopathology
- Dermatopathology
- Neuropathology
- Haematopathology
Haematology
- Deals with diseases which affect the blood e.g:
o Anaemia
o Leukemia
o Lymphoma
o Clotting or bleeding disorders
- Management of blood transfusion services
Microbiology
- Deals with diseases caused by infectious agents e.g:
o Bacteria
o Viruses
o fungi
o parasites
- It offers involvement in a spectrum of activities ranging across:
o Basic laboratory science
o direct patient care
, o public health
o infection control
o research and teaching
o business management
- Subspecialties include:
o virology, mycology and parasitology
Chemical Pathology
- Is the branch of pathology dealing with the biochemical basis of disease and the use of
biochemical tests for diagnosis and management
- Dual responsibilities:
o Provision of a reliable analytical service
o Important clinical role
- Encompasses detecting changes in a wide range of substances in blood and body fluids
(electrolytes, enzymes and proteins) in association with many diseases
- And involves detecting and measuring cancer markers, hormones, poisons and (therapeutic
and illicit) drugs
- Involved in assessing levels of iron in the blood, measuring the levels of enzymes that are
released into the blood after a heart attack to help the diagnosis, and in the measurement of
certain proteins produced by cancers to monitor the response to their treatment
- Advising clinicians about the appropriate tests for the investigation of a particular clinical
problem, the interpretation of results and follow-up, and the interferences e.g. by
therapeutic drugs on test results
- Specialist areas of interest include: inherited metabolic diseases, trace metals and
environmental monitoring, drugs of abuse, and nutrition
Immunology
- Specialty which often involves both laboratory medicine and clinical practice
- Subspecialties include: histocompatibility and immunogenetics
- Tests of immune system. These include tests for allergy antibodies.
- Provide advice for a variety of other disorders including recurrent miscarriage and some
areas of transplantation medicine. They may also be directly involved in managing patients
with autoimmune diseases and AIDS.
Genetics
- 2 main branches of laboratory genetics:
- Clinical cytogenetics: involves the microscopic analysis of chromosomal abnormalities for
e.g. diagnosis of Downs syndrome.
- Molecular genetics: uses the tools of DNA technology to analyse mutations (changes) in
genes. Many genes have been identified that are associated with such diseases e.g. cystic
fibrosis, breast cancer and diabetes mellitus.
Toxicology
- Is the study of adverse effects of chemicals and other toxic agents on living organisms and
how these effects can be avoided or minimized
- Subspecialties can include:
o Clinical toxicologist
Overview of pathology
- Is the science at the heart of modern medicine and pathologists are vital to the diagnosis
and clinical management of disease
- Is a medical specialty looking at disease processes and their cause
- Pathologists are involved in clinical practice, research, education and clinical consultation,
and also play an important role in result interpretation
Histopathology (also called ‘Anatomical Pathology’)
- Microscopic study of organs and tissues to determine the causes and effects of particular
disease
o Solid tissue from living patients or from an autopsy
o Or specimens (of separated cells) in fluids or tissue smears (cytology)
o Cytology = the exam of a single cell type, as often found in fluid specimens
When the specimen arrives to the pathology lab:
o Gross (naked eye) examination
o H&E (light microscopy)
o Special stains
o Immunohistochemistry
o Electron microscopy
o Immunofluorescence
o Molecular biology
o Etc until diagnosis is reached
- Some subspecialties include:
- Cytopathology
- Dermatopathology
- Neuropathology
- Haematopathology
Haematology
- Deals with diseases which affect the blood e.g:
o Anaemia
o Leukemia
o Lymphoma
o Clotting or bleeding disorders
- Management of blood transfusion services
Microbiology
- Deals with diseases caused by infectious agents e.g:
o Bacteria
o Viruses
o fungi
o parasites
- It offers involvement in a spectrum of activities ranging across:
o Basic laboratory science
o direct patient care
, o public health
o infection control
o research and teaching
o business management
- Subspecialties include:
o virology, mycology and parasitology
Chemical Pathology
- Is the branch of pathology dealing with the biochemical basis of disease and the use of
biochemical tests for diagnosis and management
- Dual responsibilities:
o Provision of a reliable analytical service
o Important clinical role
- Encompasses detecting changes in a wide range of substances in blood and body fluids
(electrolytes, enzymes and proteins) in association with many diseases
- And involves detecting and measuring cancer markers, hormones, poisons and (therapeutic
and illicit) drugs
- Involved in assessing levels of iron in the blood, measuring the levels of enzymes that are
released into the blood after a heart attack to help the diagnosis, and in the measurement of
certain proteins produced by cancers to monitor the response to their treatment
- Advising clinicians about the appropriate tests for the investigation of a particular clinical
problem, the interpretation of results and follow-up, and the interferences e.g. by
therapeutic drugs on test results
- Specialist areas of interest include: inherited metabolic diseases, trace metals and
environmental monitoring, drugs of abuse, and nutrition
Immunology
- Specialty which often involves both laboratory medicine and clinical practice
- Subspecialties include: histocompatibility and immunogenetics
- Tests of immune system. These include tests for allergy antibodies.
- Provide advice for a variety of other disorders including recurrent miscarriage and some
areas of transplantation medicine. They may also be directly involved in managing patients
with autoimmune diseases and AIDS.
Genetics
- 2 main branches of laboratory genetics:
- Clinical cytogenetics: involves the microscopic analysis of chromosomal abnormalities for
e.g. diagnosis of Downs syndrome.
- Molecular genetics: uses the tools of DNA technology to analyse mutations (changes) in
genes. Many genes have been identified that are associated with such diseases e.g. cystic
fibrosis, breast cancer and diabetes mellitus.
Toxicology
- Is the study of adverse effects of chemicals and other toxic agents on living organisms and
how these effects can be avoided or minimized
- Subspecialties can include:
o Clinical toxicologist
