Pathology

The branch of science that deals about diagnosis of disease is referred as pathology. The word pathology is derived from Greek word ‘pathos’ meaning suffering or feeling. The process of explaining the condition or behavior of a pathogenic organism is referred as pathologization. For instance pathology gambling is pathologization. The word pathologies are synonymous with the term disease. The suffix ‘path’ usually indicates the disease for instance psychopath.

Components of disease

Following are components of disease.

• Etiology or cause of disease
• Development mechanism- Pathogenesis
• Alteration of structural cells- Changes in morphological structure
• Consequence changes- Clinical manifestations

Disciplines of pathology

Based on the system for study pathology is subdivided in to

• Veterinary pathology
• Animal disease

Based on the examination of pathological study

• Forensic pathology
• Cause of death determination

General pathology is also referred as experimental pathology, investigative pathology and or theoretical pathology. It is broad field of science that helps in better understanding of injury mechanism of cells and tissues and also includes how body repairs from injury. The areas such as necrosis, wound healing, neoplasia, and inflammation are studied. General pathology forms the basic principles of pathology and is applicable to diagnose the disease of humans and animals. The general pathology also includes anatomical pathology and clinical pathology.  Anatomical pathology concerns about the diagnosis of disease depending on microscopic study, gross study, chemical, molecular examination and immunologic interpretation of tissues, whole bodies and organs as such. Anatomical pathology is also subdivided as surgical pathology, forensic pathology and cytopathology. Anatomical pathology may be a branch of clinical pathology or pathology itself. The general pathology is a combination of both anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. The individual who diagnose pathogenic disease are referred as pathologists shall characterize the body fluids with the help of biopsy.

Questions:

• What is pathology?
• What is clinical pathology?
• What is histopathology?