About pathology

Pathology is the scientific field of diseases, which provides clinicians the reliable body of knowledge and background information so that they can safely recognize and describe diseases. Generally pathology deals with the deficiencies of cells and tissues, as well as with the defensive functions of the human body working against those shortcomings. This is a broad professional area handling every organ and organ system, and it applies state-of-the-art tools of science and technology to achieve its aims: to examine injuries, inflammations, healing processes, necrosis, tumors, and the investigation of adjustments of the body to these. Pathology uses this knowledge for a better understanding of diseases and for a more effective identification of them with the help of histology.

Pathologist

The pathologist is an equivalent member of the multidisciplinary therapeutic group; his/her diagnosis, opinion or even therapeutic indication may basically determine the patient‘s future. This change in function can be attributed to the accelerated and extended development of therapeutic options and equipment. In the past ten years the change in therapy has been tremendous. The co-operation between pathologists and clinicians, the integration of pathologists into medical therapeutic teams has become indispensable in for a number of reasons: many diseases allow causal therapy, in case of certain illnesses individual therapy seems necessary, and because new classification needs arise from recently gained new knowledge.

In those hospitals where little or no attention is devoted to the development of the pathology department, where they are not aware that pathologists are fully-fledged members of the curative team, patient care could be below the currently required standards.