Intro to Path Flashcards
Definition of pathology; relationship between path and basic sciences
Scientific study of disease; devoted to studying structural and functional alterations in cells, tissues and organs; bridge between the basic sciences and the clinical sciences; understand the mechanisms of disease
Four aspects of Disease that form the core of disease processes
- etiology (cause) 2. pathogenesis (mech of disease development) 3. morphology (structural alteration) 4. clinical significance (fxnal consequences of disease)
Basic categories of Disease etiology and various methods of disease classification
Can be intrinsic (genetic) or extrinsic (acquired)
Acquired includes: infectious, iatrogenic (introduced by medical care), nutritional, toxic, physical (trauma), idiopathic, multifactorial
Role of pathologist?
examines cells; cellularity; architectural pattern (normal or not?), necrosis and mitoses (present or absent)
- Anatomic-interprets diagnostic biopsies, determines treatment patient will receive, cytopathology-evaluates cells removed from organ or fluid
- Autopsy-understand extent/nature of disease
- clinical pathology-evaluates blood or fluid tests
- molecular pathology-evaluation/screening of tissues for disease causing mutations
Methods used to process and stain tissues/fluids for microscopic examination
Immunochemistry (antibody used to detect specific antigens), FISH (for specific deletions & other genetic abnormalities),
What are the basis for diagnosis and treatment for patients?
biopsies and resections
what do neutrophils look like microscopically?
polymorphonuclear
what do lymphocytes look like microscopically?
small, round blue
what do macrophages look like microscopically?
more cytoplasm than nucleus, pink cytoplasm
what do fibroblasts look like microscopically?
flattened, purple nuclei
