The core aspects of diseases in pathology

Pathology is the study of disease by scientific methods. The word pathology came from the Latin words “patho” & “logy”. ‘Patho’ means disease and ‘logy’ means study, therefore pathology is a scientific study of disease. Diseases may, in turn, be defined as an abnormal variation in structure or function of any part of the body. Pathology gives explanations of a disease by studying the following four aspects of the disease.

1. Etiology,

2. Pathogenesis,

3.  Morphologic changes and 

4.  Functional derangements and clinical significance.

1.  Etiology

Etiology of a disease means the cause of the disease. If the cause of a disease is known it is called primary etiology. If the cause of the disease is unknown it is called idiopathic. Knowledge or discovery of the primary cause remains the backbone on which a diagnosis can be made, a disease understood, & a treatment developed. There are two major classes of etiologic factors: genetic and acquired (infectious, nutritional, chemical, physical, etc).

2.  Pathogenesis

Pathogenesis means the mechanism through which the cause operates to produce the pathological and clinical manifestations. The pathogenetic mechanisms could take place in the latent or incubation period. Pathogenesis leads to morphologic changes.

3.  Morphologic changes

The morphologic changes refer to the structural alterations in cells or tissues that occur following the pathogenetic mechanisms. The structural changes in the organ can be seen with the naked eye or they may only be seen under the microscope. Those changes that can be seen with the naked eye are called gross morphologic changes & those that are seen under the microscope are called microscopic changes. Both the gross & the microscopic morphologic changes may only be seen in that disease, i.e. they may be specific to that disease. Therefore, such morphologic changes can be used by the pathologist to identify (i.e. to diagnose) the disease. In addition, the morphologic changes will lead to functional alteration & to the clinical signs & symptoms of the disease.

4.  Functional derangements and clinical significance

The morphologic changes in the organ influence the normal function of the organ. By doing so, they determine the clinical features (symptoms and signs), course, and prognosis of the disease.

 In summary, pathology studies:-

Understanding of the above core aspects of disease (i.e. understanding pathology) will help one to understand how the clinical features of different diseases occur & how their treatments work. This understanding will, in turn, enable health care workers to handle & help their patients in a better & scientific way. It is for these reasons that the health science student should study pathology.  In addition, the pathologist can use the morphologic changes seen in diseases to diagnose different diseases. There are different diagnostic modalities used in pathology. Most of these diagnostic techniques are based on morphologic changes.

References

Bezabeh ,M. ; Tesfaye,A.; Ergicho, B.; Erke, M.; Mengistu, S. and Bedane,A.; Desta, A.(2004). General Pathology. Jimma University, Gondar University Haramaya University, Dedub University.