Intro to Pathology

What is pathology?

study of molecular, biochemical, functional, and morphological changes in cells, tissues, or organs in response to injury

What is general pathology?

types and mechanisms of disease at a cellular/tissue level

What is systemic pathology?

organ and system pathology

What is anatomic pathology?

surgical pathology, gross pathology, histopathology, dermatopathology, neuropathology

What is clinical pathology?

bodily fluids, excretions, secretions, and exfoliated cells (cytology)

What is forensic pathology?

medicolegal

What is the difference between biopsy and necropsy?

life and dead

What is cytology?

fast turnaround, individual cell detail, minimal risk to patient, may be better to observe organisms such as bacteria

What is histopathology?

tissue architecture, tumor grading, invasiveness

What is etiology?

primary cause of a disease state

What are morphologic changes?

structural alteration within cells, organs, or tissues associated with disease processes

What is a clinical significance?

functional consequences of morphological changes

What is a lesion?

abnormal body chemistry, cells, or tissues

What is pathogenesis?

step by step progression from the normal state to a diseased one; mechanisms of development of a lesion or disease process

What is a prognosis?

prediction of the outcome of a disease; must understand mechanisms for this

What is peracute/acute?

changes good/bad that occur rapidly not necessarily severe

How long does peracute refer to?

minutes

How long does acute refer to?

few days

What is subacute?

not very acute

What is chronic?

long-lasting; weeks, months, or years