Pathology Introduction to course Alan Stevens Jim Lowe

What is Pathology? n Pathology is the study of patterns, causes, mechanisms and effects of illness (disease) n To interpret symptoms and signs it is important to know the range of abnormalities possible in an organ system n Basis of differential diagnosis

Pathology clinical disciplines n Histopathology n Haematology n Clinical chemistry n Immunology n Microbiology n Genetics

Pathology - diagnostic tool n Structural examination –Fluid and tissue cytology –Biopsy –Autopsy

Pathology encompasses all aspects of disease n Genetic function n Physiological/biochemical function n Structural abnormalities –Cells –Tissues –Organs

Aetiology n The root cause of a disease process Genetic Genetic Environmental agent Environmental agent Immune Immune Infective Infective Neoplastic Neoplastic Primary inflammatory Primary inflammatory Vascular Vascular Iatrogenic Iatrogenic

Pathogenesis n The molecular, physiological and cellular mechanisms that occur after the first injury and which lead to the expression of a disease n Understanding pathogenesis is important in choosing, or developing, an appropriate therapy

Natural history n The course of a disease process –Untreated –Modified by therapy n Prognosis –Disability –Disease-free survival –Survival

Sequelae n The clinical and pathological consequences of a disease process

You will never stop studying pathology n This is a GOOD thing… n Pathology enters all disciplines of medicine n Pathology is the bedrock of good clinical medicine –General Pathology –Systems Pathology

Course overview - 1 n Adaptation of cells to environmental changes n What happens to cells when they cannot adapt and how they die n Disorders due to abnormal cell growth, for example cancer n Tissue responses to injury and how tissues heal

Course overview -2 n Atheroma and disease of blood vessels n Thrombosis and infarction n Tumour pathology –Classification and nomenclature –Behaviour and diagnosis –Causation and cell biology n Revision genetics

Course overview -3 n Systems pathology continues through the whole of the clinical course n Pathology tutorial system with guided reading n Probably 40% of the content of all examinations in clinical course consist of pathology

Textbook n Pathology n Written by Stevens & Lowe n Extremely good

Other textbooks n Range of other pathology textbooks –Huge and comprehensive –Review-style –Atlas

CD ROM n Pathology n Written by Stevens & Lowe n Extremely good

Delivery of course n Lectures n Private study n Clinicopathological cases n Workshops

Additional facilities... n CD ROM n CAL packages n Pathology museum n Autopsy room

Summary... n Buy a textbook…. n Explore the museum…. n Enjoy the pathology course….