General Path Terminology

Question 0

What is systemic pathology?

Answer 0

Focuses on the study of the specific responses of specialized organs and tissues to pathologic stimuli

Question 1

Define general pathology

Answer 1

It focuses on the fundamental cellular and tissue responses to pathological stimuli

Question 2

Define disease

Answer 2

Abnormal body process with or without characteristic signs

Question 3

What is the nature of disease?

Answer 3

May affect the whole body or any of its parts

Begins at the molecular and cellular level

Question 4

What are the 4 aspects of a disease process that form the core of pathology?

Answer 4

Etiology
Pathogenesis
Molecular and morphologic changes
Clinical manifestations

Question 5

Define etiology

Answer 5

It refers to the cause of a disease

Question 6

What are the 2 major classes of etiology and give some examples of each?

Answer 6

1) Genetic (intrinsic): inherited mutations, disease-associated gene variants, polymorphisms
2) Acquired (extrinsic): infectious, nutritional, chemical, physical

Question 7

Define pathogenesis

Answer 7

Refers to the mechanisms of disease development
Sequence of events from initial stimulus to the ultimate expression of the disease in the response of cells or tissues to the etiology

Question 8

What does the molecular and morphological changes refer to?

Answer 8

The biochemical and structural alterations induced in the cells and organs of the body
The changes may be characteristic of a disease or diagnostic of an etiologic process

Question 9

What does clinical manifestations refer to?

Answer 9

The results from genetic, biochemical, and structural changes in cells and tissues
Manifests as functional abnormalities such as:
Signs (animals): what you see as a clinician, and
Symptoms (humans): what the patient feels and tells you

Question 10

Define diagnosis

Answer 10

Concise statement or conclusion concerning the nature, cause, or name of a disease

Question 11

Name 5 types of diagnosis (Dx)

Answer 11

Clinical diagnosis
Differential diagnosis (DDx)
Morphologic diagnosis (MDx)
Etiologic diagnosis (EDx)
Clinical pathologic diagnosis

Question 12

What is a clinical Dx?

Answer 12

Based on case history (Hx), clinical signs, and physical examination
May provide differential Dx

Question 13

What is a differential Dx?

Answer 13

List of diseases that could account for the evidence or lesions of the case

Question 14

How is a morphologic Dx obtained?

Answer 14

It is based on the predominant lesion(s) in the tissue(s)

Can be both macroscopic and microscopic

Question 15

What are the description factors of a morphologic Dx?

Answer 15

1) Location (organ tissue)
2) Distribution (focal, multifocal, locally extensive, diffuse, etc)
3) Severity (mild, moderate, severe)
4) Duration/time (acute, chronic,etc)
5) Nature of the lesion (degenerative, inflammatory, neoplastic,etc)
6) If there’s inflammation, remember to classify the type of exudate

Question 16

What is the clinical pathological Dx based upon?

Answer 16

On the changes observed in the chemistry of fluids and the hematology

Question 17

Define prognosis

Answer 17

It refers to the course of a disease.
A diagnosis enables the clinician to predict the prognosis.
Good, intermediate, or poor

Question 18

What does pathognomonic mean?

Answer 18

It means characteristic or indicative of a specific disease