Week 1: Intro to Pathology Flashcards
Monoclonal origin
Cancers come from just one mutated cell
Pathology
The study of diseases that can cause abnormalities in the structure or function of various organ systems
Disease
The pattern of the body’s response to some form of injury that causes a deviation from or variation of normal conditions
Edema
Accumulation of abnormal amounts of fluid in intercellular tissue spaces or body cavities
Localized Edema
Inflammatory reaction, or local obstruction of lymphatic drainage
Generalized Edema
Pronounced swelling of subcutaneous tissues throughout the body (anasarca), from congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, or renal disease (usually seen independent parts of body (ankles, legs if ambulatory; lower back/sacral area, lungs if non-ambulatory
Ischemia
Interference with blood supply and depriving cells and tissues of oxygen. Narrowed arteries such as with atherosclerosis, thrombotic or embolic occlusion. May be minimal effect or death. Collateral arteries may develop to replace blocked ones
Infarction
Localized area of ischemic necrosis (dead tissue) within tissue or organ from occlusion of arterial supply or venous drainage, usually thrombotic or embolic occlusion (sometimes volvulus = twisting). Eg, myocardial or pulmonary infarct. May cause gangrene
Hemorrhage
Rupture of blood vessel, bleeding from trauma or other causes. May be external. May be internal bleeding; hematoma = pool of often clotted blood formed inside a tissue, organ or space (ex. hemothorax, hemopericardium, ,hemarthrosis)
Petechiae
very minimal hemorrhages into skin, mucousmembranes, serosal surfaces
Purpura
slightly larger hemorrhages
Ecchymosis
large 1-2 cm subcutaneous hemorrhage or bruise
Atrophy
Reduction in size and /or number of cells in an organ or tissue, with corresponding decrease in function.
May be situational (ex. due to a cast) or pathological due to innervation, hormones, decreased blood supply
Hypoplasia
Failure of normal development with subsequent small size
Aplasia
Failure of organ or tissues to develop or function normally, or absence of organ/tissue
Hypertrophy
Increase in organ/tissue size due to an increase in cell size and demand of increased function. Usually occurs as a response to destruction of cells that cannot multiply and increase in size of those left in an attempt to fulfill function
Hyperplasia
Increase in cell number of normal looking cells (under microscope)
Dysplasia
Loss of cell uniformity and orientation (abnormal cell structure), pre-cancerous. May be mild, moderate or severs depending upon the level of cell abnormality
Benign neoplasms
Closely resemble cells of origin in structure/function, differentiated, stay localized, do not generally metastasize
Can still cause death, depending upon location/type
Neoplasia
New growth cancer/malignancy/neoplasm/tumour abnormal uncontrolled proliferation (reproduction) of cell & subsequent cells
Malignant neoplasms
Neoplastic growth that invades and destroys adjacent structures. Poorly differentiated cells.
Can travel to distant sites (metastasize)
If not stopped, cause death
Grading
Aggressiveness or degree of malignancy
Staging
Extensiveness (present only at primary site or metastasized to secondary sites) Determines appropriate treatment
Morbidity
Rate the illness/condition occurs or the condition of suffering from a disease
Mortality
Statistical calculation of the expected death rate
Epidemiology
Study of determinants of a specific disease in a given population
Seeding
Diffuse spread
Cancer invades a nearby body cavity
Eg, lung cancer enters pleural space
Lymphatic spread
Especially for breast and lung cancer
Cancer enters lymph nodes and spreads by transport through the lymphatic system
Hematogenous spread
through bloodstream
Cancer cells enter blood vessel
Travel to distant sites
Invade vessel walls and infiltrate into surrounding tissue where they multiply
Often on vascular pathway
Eg, GI cancer may metastasize to liver due to portal vein flow to liver
Additive (Increased Attenuation) Conditions
These diseases/conditions cause increased tissue thickness, density, atomic number, atomic packing density. Show up lighter on an x-ray image due to more x-ray absorption. Increase technique (amount of radiation required for imaging).
Destructive(Decreased Attenuation) Conditions
These diseases/conditions cause decreased tissue thickness, density, atomic number, atomic packing density. Show up darker on an x-ray image due to less x-ray absorption. Decrease technique (amount of radiation required for imaging)
Inflammation
Initial response of body tissue to local injury (caused by blunt to penetrating trauma, infectious organisms and irritating chemical substances)
Hematoma
An accumulation of blood inside body tissues, often clotted
