Introduction to
Pathology
DR:Gehan mohamed
Definition of pathology
It is the “Scientific study of disease" .
"scientific study of the molecular,
cellular, tissue, or organ system
response to injurious agents."
Pathology serves as a "bridge" or "link" between
the preclinical sciences (anatomy, physiology, ……
etc.) and the courses in clinical medicine.
2. Classification:
Autopsy
(1) Human pathologyBiopsy
Cytology
(2) Experimental pathology
Seven Branches of Pathology
General Pathology
Systemic Pathology
Surgical Pathology
Gross Pathology
Cellular Pathology
Clinical Pathology
Immunopathology
General Pathology
Common changes in all tissues. e.g.. Inflammation,
cancer, ageing, edema, hemorrhage ….etc.
Systemic Pathology
Discussing the pathologic mechanisms in relation to
various organ systems e.g. CVS, CNS, GIT…..etc.
Techniques of Pathology
1. Human pathology
(1) Autopsy
(2) Biopsy
(3) Cytology: smear, fine needle
aspiration
2. Experimental pathology
(1) Animal experiment: animal
model
(2) Tissue and cell culture
Necropsy: Gross examination of the
animal cadaver by systematic
dissection in order to evaluate any
abnormal changes (lesions) that
may be present.
Autopsy: Synonymous to necropsy
in human medicine
Biopsy: Removal and examination of
tissue obtained from the living body
What is the Disease?
It is the “State in which an individual
exhibits an anatomical, physiological,
or biochemical deviation from the
normal”
•Disease may be defined as :
an abnormal alteration of structure or function in any part of
the body.
Classification of Diseases:
(A)Developmental – genetic, congenital.
(B)Acquired:
(1)Inflammatory – Trauma, infections, immune, etc.
(2)Neoplastic – tumors cancers
(3)Degenerative – ageing.
(4)Metabolic.
(5)Iatrogenic: Drug induced.
What should we Know About A
Disease
• Definition.
• Epidemiology – Where & When.
• Etiology – What is the cause?
• Pathogenesis - Evolution of dis.
y
• Morphology - Structural Changes log
h o
• Functional consequences
a t
• Management P
• Prognosis
• Prevention
Etiology
“Study of the cause of a disease"
Knowledge of etiology remains the
backbone of:
Disease diagnosis
Understanding the nature of diseases
Treatment of diseases.
Etiology
“Study of the cause of a disease"
An etiologic agent :
is the factor (bacterium, virus, etc.) responsible for lesions or a
disease state.
Predisposing Causes of Disease:
Factors which make an individual more susceptible to a
disease (damp weather, poor ventilation, etc.)
Exciting Causes of Disease:
Factors which are directly responsible for a disease (hypoxia,
chemical agents , virus, bacteria …. etc.).
Etiology
DiseaseDisease
Disease
Disease
Disease
•One
One etiologic • Several etiologic
etiologic agent
agent agents one
several
- disease, as cancer .
diseases, as
one disease, as
smoking.
Malaria.
Pathogenesis
The sequence of events in the
response of the cells or
tissues to the etiologic agent,
from the initial stimulus to the
ultimate expression of the
disease.
CELLS Response to injurious
agent
Either :
ADAPTING
SUSTAINING REVERSIBLE INJURY
SUFFERING IRREVERSIBLE
INJURY AND DYING
Clinical Symptoms & Signs
Clinical symptoms are the patient’s
complain usually by its own words as pain.
Clinical signs are seen only in the living
individual as organomegaly.
MORPHOLOGY
Morphology remains at the
heart of diagnostic
pathology.
Morphologic change
Characteristic of the disease
Diagnostic of the etiologic
process
Functional
derangements
Morphology
(1)Gross appearance:
size, shape
weight
color
consistency
surface
edge, section
(2)Microscopic examination for tissue
sections fixed in formalin then
stained by
HE (hematoxylin and eosin) to be
examined by light microscope for
Histologic and cytologic changes.
Hemangioma
Histochemistry using PAS stain
PAS→BM
Immunohistochemistry
1. Ag-Ab specific reaction
2. Applications : in diagnosis of
tumor histogenesis
Leiomyosarcoma Actin (+)
(3)Ultrastructural observation
By using electron microscope)
Filtering membrane
SEM (scanning electron microscope)
Podocyte
(4)Flow cytometry (FCM)
In neoplastic diseases Can
determine :
1- If there is One kind of
cells→quantitative assesment
2. DNA ploidy analysis (amount of
DNA)
（ 5 ） Image analysis (IA)
it can determine Nuclear diameter;
circumference; area; volume;
morphology
（ 6 ） Molecular biology technique
1. Polymerase chain reaction
(PCR)
2. DNA sequencing
Polymerase
chain
reaction
(PCR)
prognosis
Expected outcome of the disease, It is the
clinician's estimate of the severity and
possible result of a disease.
