Histological diagnostics

A pathologist spends most of his/her time carrying out histological diagnostics, providing so-called histology reports. This means the evaluation of tissues analysed with the help of microscopic magnification. Every tissue extracted by medical processes is examined by a pathologist. Thus the everyday routine involves mostly the histological diagnostics of endoscopic or surgical samples submitted by interns or surgeons. This histological diagnostic practice also covers several additional investigative methods, first of all the  special staining and immunohistochemistry of samples. Today these are essential accessories of pathologic diagnostics, helping in differential diagnosis, in diagnosing infective agents, in categorising and prognosticating tumors, and in the designing of individualised treatment etc.

Intraoperative examination

When examining an intraoperative frozen tissue, the patient’s future may depend on the awareness, wisdom, opinion, and diagnosis of the pathologist. This is probably the most difficult one among the pathologist’s daily tasks, because there is no time to apply additional methods, a prompt answer is needed whether the finding is benign or malignant, whether further surgery is obligatory or not.

Fields of specialization within pathology

Similarly to the whole discipline of Medicine, pathology has its own specializations as well. Some special fields like neuropathology (examining the alterations of the nervous system) or dermatopathology (dealing with skin lesions), for example, have been traditionally practised by specially trained pathologists. The enormous and fast-paced development in the past decade of molecular genetic methods, and the research results put into practice, have made it necessary to train and employ specialists who can carry out diagnostics in the specific fields of general pathology as well. These fields include that of hematopathology, soft tissue tumor pathology (it is now acceptable to call this field oncopathology), renal pathological diagnostics and, in a way, breast pathology too.

Postmortal examinations

Autopsy is a method of investigating the deficiencies of the body after the death of a patient. Autopsy could be dropped if the clinician and the pathologist agree that no new and relevant evidence can be gathered from the postmortal examination. Autopsies can be highly beneficial, however, if they are considered as consultation between clinician and pathologist, involving a professional discussion of the autopsy findings. The aim this way is not the unnecessary disturbance of the body, but to apply the newly acquired body of knowledge in clinical practice for the benefit of future patients.