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Pathology an Introduction

Presentation · December 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.25459.68647

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Hemn Hassan Othman

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 Pathology
an
Introduction

Dr. Hemn Hassan Othman,

PhD, Pathology
2019-2020
 Pathology
The term “pathology” is derived from the Greek
words pathos which means disease and logy
which means study, thus pathology is a branch of
biological sciences that deals with the study of all
structural and functional abnormalities (at the
level of cells, tissues, organs and body fluids) that
take place as a result
of a disease.
Pathology is considered a vital link between basic
sciences (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry,
pharmacology…….etc) and clinical sciences
(internal medicine, surgery, neurology,
dermatology, theriogenology……….etc).
Historical View

The understanding of histopathology started

when a German scientist, Rudolf Virchow (1821-
1902) from the University of Berlin, started to cut
thin sections of diseased tissues with a razor blade
and examined them using the microscope.
Professional divisions of pathology:
Pathology includes two major professional
divisions:

1. Medical pathology which deals with the

study of diseases in humans.

2. Comparative pathology which deals with

the study of diseases in all animal species
as well as human diseases.
Academic divisions of pathology
In academic studies, pathology (medical or
comparative) is divided into two major
divisions:

1. Anatomic pathology which deals with the study

of the disease effects in cells, tissues and organs.

2. Clinical pathology which deals with the study of

the disease effects in body fluids and secretions
(blood, urine, milk…… etc.) using certain laboratory
methods.
 Branches of Anatomic Pathology
1. General pathology which deals with the study of the
common basic changes in all tissues as a result of a
disease, e.g., cell injury, necrosis, inflammation and
neoplasm.

2. Systemic pathology which deals with the study of

morphological changes in tissues and organs of a
particular system as a result of a disease e. g., pathology
of respiratory system, pathology of digestive system,
pathology of nervous system…etc.

3. Special pathology which deals with the application of

the basic changes learned in general pathology to the
various specific diseases e.g Diabetes, atherosclerosis
etc.
4. Diagnostic Pathology (Histopathology) which deals with the study
of tissue abnormalities using gross and microscopic examination of
biopsy samples.

Biopsy: The biopsy is a tissue sample obtained surgically from a

living body in order to be examined grossly and microscopically (by
a pathologist) to help in establishing the diagnosis of the
pathological condition

5. Cytopathology which deals with the study of cellular changes.

6. Surgical Pathology which refers to histopathological examination

of biopsy samples surgically removed from living bodies.

7. Post-mortem pathology which deals with pathological

examination of human cadaver after death. It is also known as
autopsy or necropsy.
8. Forensic pathology: It is the subspecialty of pathology that focuses
on the medico-legal investigation of the cause of a sudden or
unexpected death by examination of a dead body. The term forensics
is derived from the Latin word forēnsis which means forum (law
court).

9. Physiological pathology which deals with the study of alterations in

the functions of organs and systems of the body as a result to a
disease. It is also known as pathophysiology; e.g., pathophysiology of
indigestion, diarrhea, abortion…..etc.

10. Immunopathology which deals with the study of diseases

mediated by immune reactions. Such as immunodeficiency diseases,
autoimmune diseases and hypersensitivity reactions.

11. Molecular pathology which deals with the study of alterations that
take place at the molecular level (e.g., DNA damage) as a result to a
disease.
12. Experimental pathology:
It is the study of diseases that have been created or
induced experimentally to analyze the structural &
functional abnormalities in tissue to better understand
the mechanism of underline diseases. Usually laboratory
animals used in experimental pathology (Rabbits, Rats,
Mice….ect.

Illness:
It means that the individual is sick, means some part of
the body is not functioning properly. But some disease
conditions not companied by a clinical illness means
perfectly healthy e.g. stroke & heart attack.
 Disease and Disease Circumstances
Disease
The disease is a condition in which an individual shows a
morphological, biochemical and/or physiological deviation from
the normal status .

Etiology
The term etiology refers to the science that deals with the causes
or origin of the disease or the factors that produce or predispose
toward a certain disease or disorder.

Lesions
The term “lesions” refers to abnormal (pathological) structural
and functional changes that occur in body during a particular
disease. This word is perhaps the most commonly used word in
pathology.
Macroscopical (gross) lesions:
Abnormality in the tissue can be described grossly
or by the naked eye including location, color, size,
shape, consistency & appearance of the cut
surface.

Microscopical lesions:
Abnormal morphological changes described under
the microscope, lesions need quantification by
using some general terms like mild, moderate, or
severe.
Pathogenesis
It is defined as the step by step developmental process from the
beginning of the disease to its termination, or the mechanism by
which the disease is developed.

Pathogenicity
The term pathogenicity refers to the ability of a pathogen
(usually microbial pathogens) to cause disease, e.g.:

1. The highly pathogenic influenza A virus subtype H5N1 which

has caused serious disease outbreaks in poultry and human.

2. The nonpathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) which

live naturally in the large intestine of human and do not cause
disease.
Symptom
The term symptom refers to any evidence of a disease as told by
the patient (in case of human being).

Sign
The term sign refers to any evidence of a disease detectable to a
clinician (can be observed by the clinician).

Diagnosis
The term diagnosis refers to the art or act of identifying a
particular disease from its signs and symptoms.

Prognosis
It is the prediction of the probable outcome of a disease.
Pathological process
The pathological process consists of the following:

1. Injury (damage) created by the causative agent (virus,

bacteria, poison, hypertension ….etc) on cells, tissues
and organs.

2. Reactive changes (pathological changes) against the

injury, for example, in cases of systemic hypertension
there is myocardial hypertrophy of the left heart
ventricle due to increase in the resistance to blood flow
through the arterioles.
Notes:
1/ Pathology is the study of what happened & how,
the lesion is what & the sequence of events from
the point of which the lesion began through its
entire development (pathogenesis) is how.
2/ It is necessary to know the pathogenesis of
lesions in order to make a rational judgment for
treatment, control & prevention of diseases.

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