Lecture 1 Diagnosis Of Diesase

Question 1

Ultrasound scan

Answer 1

Sometimes called a sonogram, is a procedure that uses high frequency sound waves.
Has a low resolution
Low cost & doesn’t use any ionising radiation so no risk to unborn child druring pregnancy

Question 2

Computerised tomography (CT)

Answer 2

Scan uses X-rays to image organs quickly, less detail than MRI scan

Question 3

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 3

Uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to image organs in more detail
Slower than a CT scan

Question 4

What can imaging methods of whole organs do?

Answer 4

Imaging methods can indicate tumour abnormalities but diagnosis cannot be based on imaging alone

Question 5

Histology

Answer 5

The study of the structure of animal or plant tissues as visualised( under a microscope)

Question 6

Cytology

Answer 6

Study of the microscopic appearance of cells under the microscope

Question 7

3 tissue types for making a diagnosis

Answer 7

1. Blood- cell abnormality, biochemical markers
2. Urine/faces- clinical chemistry, cytology
3. Biopsy/resection- direct histological examination

Question 8

Technologies for making a diagnosis

Answer 8

1. Imaging - CT, MRI, ultrasound scan etc.
2. Biomarker detection & DNA (genetic) based technologies
   Small number established, more in development/ clinical trials

Often in combination

Question 9

Why do we need to know normal histological appearance?

Answer 9

To determine histopathological/cytological changes characteristic of disease

As cells appear different in every tissue/organ

Potentially life or death decision e.g whether cells are cancerous or not

Question 10

What is cancer?

Answer 10

A group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide and grow unchecked

Question 11

Malignancy/invasion

Answer 11

Abnormal cells invade surrounding tissue

Question 12

Metastasis

Answer 12

Spreading of cancer (neoplastic cells) from its original site to other parts of the body

Question 13

Neoplasm

Answer 13

New growth
Changes in DNA may lead to permanent alteration of normal cellular growth
Proliferate(divide) in poorly regulated manner and lump/tissue mass form

Question 14

What are transformed cells?

Answer 14

Cells which do not respond to contact inhibition and anchorage dependence

They do not respond to regulatory signals

Transformed cells do not differentiate- they become ‘de-differentiated’

Question 15

Anaplasia

Answer 15

Reversion of cell to primitive/undifferentiated state

Question 16

Pleomorphism

Answer 16

Variation in shape and size