Pathology

Pathology is a both a science and the branch of conventional medicine that seeks to correctly understand and diagnose diseases. The term pathology describes the study of the effects of disease on bodily tissues, cells, organs, functions, and the causes of death. The term pathology is a compound of the Greek word for suffering (pathos) and the Anglicized form (-ology) of the Greek word logos meaning the knowledge, reason, or study of something.

All of the ways that a disease affects the structure and function of the body are part of the subject matter of the science of pathology. It focuses on the nature of the functions of pathogens, and on the way that abnormal functions develop in the human body (or in animal bodies in the study of veterinary pathology).

Another concern of pathology is the study of fetal tissue in fetal cells. The tissue is examined to understand how distortion in the genetic material that composes the DNA of the fetal tissue can be involved in the inheritance of genetic abnormalities. Genetic abnormalities are often involved in birth defects. Paternity testing is used by pathologists to identify the father or mother of an individual. In the case of infant paternity testing a small blood sample from the infant is used for comparison.

Pathology is the study of the effects of disease on bodily tissues, cells, organs, functions, and the causes of death.

Forensic pathology is the work of forensic pathologists who work in the area of forensic medicine. Forensic pathology can study DNA testing to aid the legal system with legal problems. DNA testing can be used by pathologists to establish paternity. It can also be used to identify criminal suspects. Or it can be used to exonerate persons suspected or accused of a crime. With DNA materials, such as hair, skin, saliva, semen, of other bodily fluids left at a crime scene forensic pathologists can establish the DNA identity of the likely perpetrator of the crime.

If a person dies without a physician present an autopsy will reveal the cause. This is especially important it if reveal an accidental cause or that the death was caused by misadventure, even if caused by an animal. In such cases a forensic pathologists will act as the case coordinator. The medical history of the deceased, the medical condition of the deceased at death, will be medically and scientifically examined.

Clinical pathology is often practiced in hospitals. which usually have a pathology department to identify [Page 1345]the causes of disease. With the advent of modern terrorism, clinical pathology has expanded its traditional study of industrial accidents or chemical emergency responses to include rapid ways to identify chemical weapons. Solving medical problems from chemical poisoning or from other causes means that pathologists often act as medical detectives.

Anatomical pathology is a subspecialty of pathology. It is concern with the examination of tissues removed from a patient that will then be subjected to a biopsy. Anatomical pathologists are also called surgical pathologists because they examine surgically removed bodily material. They also engage in autopsies to determine the cause of death. Medically trained medical examiners are anatomical pathologists.

...