INTRODUCTION TO PATHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO PATHOLOGY
I. ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY
II. CLINICAL PATHOLOGY
III. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
IV. GENERAL PATHOLOGY
V. SYSTEMIC PATHOLOGY
VI. GENERAL CONCEPTS OF DISEASE
VII. OTHER TERMINOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO PATHOLOGY
- Pathology means the study of disease. We begin at the cellular level.
When cells of a living human organism are exposed to a noxious physical,
chemical or biological agent, they become injured. There are a limited
number of different types and mechanisms of injury. The cells generally
respond in one of four ways: They get bigger, get smaller, proliferate,
or die.
- Cell proliferation (either hyperplastic or neoplastic) and cell
death are two biomedical phenomena which are responsible for up to 70%
of human adult morbidity and mortality in the United States (40% injury
to the heart- myocardial infarction, 10% injury to the brain- cerebrovascular
accident, 20% neoplasms cancer). These phenomena and the organism's response
to them (inflammation) are the main topics of General Pathology. The various
processes in general pathology are examined in terms of their etiology
(primary cause), pathogenesis (mechanisms by which they come about), and
resulting abnormal cell structure and function. We also address the processes
of aging and the molecular basis of disease in this course.
- In General Pathology we study cell adaptations, necrosis, neoplasia,
inflammation, vascular, fluid and clotting derangements, and immunologic
disease at the cellular and tissue levels. In Systemic Pathology we study
these phenomena at the organ-system level. In both General and Systemic
Pathology, we emphasize understanding etiology, pathogenesis, and tissue
changes primarily in terms of basic science (e.g., anatomy, biochemistry,
physiology and molecular biology). In Clinical Medicine, you will understand
further how disease affects humans as living beings, with social and psychological
consequences of illness.
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I. ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY
Cytopathology (cells), Surgical Pathology (tissues), Autopsy Pathology.
also Dermatopathology, Neuropathology, other specialties.
II. CLINICAL PATHOLOGY
Blood Bank, Chemistry, Coagulation and Hematopathology, Immunology/Tissue
Typing, Microbiology.
III. FORENSIC PATHOLOGY
Medicolegal pathology (investigations, inspections, autopsy, toxicology).
IV. GENERAL PATHOLOGY
Types and mechanisms of disease
V. SYSTEMIC PATHOLOGY
Organ and system pathology (e.g., cardiovascular pathology).
VI. GENERAL CONCEPTS OF DISEASE
- Etiology: Cause.
- Pathogenesis: Mechanisms.
- Morphologic Changes: Lesion (An abnormality or interruption of normal
structure).
- Functional Derangements: Abnormalities of cell, tissue, organ, system,
and organism function.
- Sign: finding which is objective, seen by observer
- Symptom: generally subjective, experienced and described by patient
-
VII. OTHER TERMINOLOGY
- Presentation
- Complication
- Natural history
- Prognosis
- Diagnosis
- Differential Diagnosis
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Outline
Questions?
Comments? Send a message to the CATS guru: jkessler@salus.uvm.edu