General Concepts and Principles of Disease

Question 1

Define disease

Answer 1

A disturbances of body structure or function

Question 2

What are organic diseases?

Answer 2

Diseases associated with structural changes

Question 3

What are functional diseases?

Answer 3

Diseases associated with no morphological changes but function is profoundly disturbed

Question 4

What is Etiology?

Answer 4

The cause of a disease

Question 5

What is Pathogenesis?

Answer 5

The way in which a disease develops

Question 6

What is Prognosis?

Answer 6

The probable outcome of a disease

Question 7

What are the 5 classes of diseases?

Answer 7

Congenital/Hereditary 
Neoplastic
Imflammatory
Metabolic 
Degenerative

Question 8

What are Congenital/Hereditary diseases?

Answer 8

• Diseases that arise from a problem during development

- Can be genetic, intrauterine injury and foetal development issues

Question 9

What are Inflammatory diseases?

Answer 9

• Diseases that are caused by the body’s reaction to an injurious agent via inflammation
• Reacting to pathogens, Allergic reactions and autoimmune

Question 10

What are Degenerative diseases?

Answer 10

• Diseases caused by the degeneration of various parts of the body
• Manifestation of the ageing process
• i.e. osteoporosis, ateriosclerosis

Question 11

What are Metabolic diseases?

Answer 11

• Diseases caused by disturbances in the metabolic processes

- Endocrine and metabolism related

Question 12

What are Neoplastic diseases?

Answer 12

• Diseases characterised by abnormal cell growth that leads to various types of tumours
• Can be benign or malignant

Question 13

What are the principals of diagnosis?

Answer 13

Examine clinical history
Conduct physical examination
Differentiate between possible conditions

Question 14

What is clinical history?

Answer 14

• The history of the current illness, symptoms and main complaints
• Past medical history
• Family history

Question 15

What are the 4 techniques used in the physical examination?

Answer 15

Inspection
Palpation - feeling for abnormalities
Percussion - tapping an area
Auscultation - listening to the body via a stethoscope

Question 16

What is differential diagnosis?

Answer 16

The process of differentiating between diseases with similar symptoms

Question 17

What is an ultrasound?

Answer 17

• A technique for mapping the echoes produced by high frequency sound waves transmitted into the body.
• Echo waves reflecting a change in density of the tissues are recorded

Question 18

How do X-rays work?

Answer 18

X-rays are passed through the body and recorded after absorption

Question 19

How is a CT scan done?

Answer 19

X-ray tube is rotated around the patient which produces images of the patient in cross section

Question 20

How does an MRI work?

Answer 20

• A strong magnet develops a strong magnetic field which can transmit and receive radio-frequency waves
• A computer receives impulses and turns them into images
• Depends on the response of hydrogen protons and water content of body tissues

Question 21

What is PET and what is it’s use?

Answer 21

Positron Emission Tomography

Can distinguish between a benign and malignant tumour

Question 22

What is the purpose of screening for diseases?

Answer 22

It allows us to detect asymptomatic diseases, prevents serious diseases going unnoticed

Question 23

What are the requirements for effective screening?

Answer 23

• A significant number of individuals must be at risk
• Inexpensive and non-invasive test
• Early identification and treatment of disease will give a favorable outcome