Pathology

A renal cell carcinoma (chromophobe type) viewed on a hematoxylin & eosin stained slide

Bacteriology: Agar plate with bacterial colonies.

This mastectomy specimen contains an infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast. A pathologist will use immunohistochemistry and fluorescent in-situ hybridization to detect markers which determine the optimal chemotherapy regimen for this patient.

Pathology (from Greek πάθος, pathos, "fate, harm"; and -λογία, -logia) is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids and whole bodies (Autopsy). The term also encompasses the related scientific study of disease processes, called General pathology.

Medical pathology is divided in two main branches, Anatomical pathology and Clinical pathology. Veterinary pathology is concerned with animal disease whereas Phytopathology is the study of plant diseases.

Contents

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• 1 History of pathology
• 2 General pathology
• 3 Pathology as a medical specialty
  • 3.1 Anatomical pathology
  • 3.2 Clinical pathology
• 4 Forensic pathology
• 5 Veterinary pathology
• 6 Plant pathology
• 7 See also
• 8 References
• 9 External links