1. Introduction To Pathology
1. Introduction To Pathology
What Is Pathology
2
Four
Aspect
Etiology
Pathogenesis
Morphologic change
Functional derangements and clinical
features
Etiology
•Cause of the disease
•Primary (idiopathic)
•Secondary
• Genetic
• Acquired
• Infectious
• Non infectious
• Pathogenesis
Mechanism the etiology will operate to produce the
pathological and clinical manifestation
Morphologic
changes
• Structural alteration in cell/tissue that occur following the
pathogenesis
• Gross/microscopic
• Specific /non specific
Functional • morphologic changes in the organ
derangements influence the normal function of the
and clinical organ.
significance
• Diagnostic techniques
– Histopathological techniques
– Cytopathologic techniques
Diagnosti
c
techniqu
es techniques
1.Histopathological
studies tissues under the microscope
is usually the gold standard for pathologic
diagnosis.
Tissues for histopathological examination are
obtained by biopsy
2.Cytopathologic techniques
•Cytopathology is the study of cells from
various body sites to determine the cause or
nature of disease.
The main applications of cytology include
– Screening for the early detection of asymptomatic
cancer (for example pap smear cervical cancer )
– Diagnosis of cysts, inflammatory conditions and
infections of various organs
•It is cheap, takes less time and needs no anesthesia
to take specimens so more commonly used in our
country
Cytopathologic methods
1.Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC)
•Aspirating the diseased organ using a very thin
needle under negative pressure.
• Superficial organs (e.g. thyroid, breast, lymph nodes,
skin and soft tissues) .
•Deep organs - the lung, mediastinum, liver, pancreas,
kidney, adrenal gland, and retroperitoneum are aspirated
with guidance by fluoroscopy, ultrasound or CT scan.
•FNAC is cheap, fast, & accurate in diagnosing many
diseases.
2. Exfoliative cytology
•the examination of cells that are shed spontaneously into
body fluids or secretions.
•Examples include sputum, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, effusions
in body cavities ( pleura, pericardium, peritoneum), nipple
discharge and vaginal discharge
3. Abrasive cytology
•The examination of cells that are dislodged by various
tools from body surfaces ( skin, mucous membranes, and
serous membranes). E.g. preparation of cervical smears
with a spatula or a small brush to detect cancer of the
uterine cervix at early stages
Other Diagnostic
•
techniques
Hematological examination: abnormalities of the
cells of the blood and their precursors in the bone
marrow are investigated
• Microbiological examination :to identify micro-
organisms responsible for many diseases
• Biochemical examination : biochemical analysis of
specimens
Diagnostic
Autopsy
post-
Biopsy Cytology mortem
examination
8000
mammography
amputation
Pathologist
Diagnostic
Autopsy
Why ?
Pathologist
Diagnostic Teaching
Autopsy
Fixation
Processing: embedding
Cutting
Staining
Sample must be fixed by putting it
into adequate amount of 10%
Fixation Formaldehyde (10% formalin)
immediately inactivate
degradative enzymes
preserve cell and tissue
structure
The purpose of fixation
to prevent autolysis and bacterial decomposition and
putrefaction
to coagulate the tissue to prevent loss of easily
diffusible substances
to fortify the tissue against the deleterious effects of the
various stages in the preparation of sections and tissue
processing.
to leave the tissues in a condition which facilitates
differential staining with dyes and other reagents.
Embedding
&
• Sectioning
To permit thin sectioning fixed tissues are
infiltrated and embedded in a material that
imparts a firm consistency.
– Embedding materials include paraffin, used
routinely for light microscopy,
Microtome
Staining
• Most cells and extracellular material are completely
colorless, and to be studied microscopically tissue sections
must be stained (dyed).
• make various tissue components not only visible but also distinguishable
from one another
• Dyes stain material selectively, often behaving like acidic
or basic compounds and forming electrostatic (salt)
linkages with ionizable radicals of macromolecules in
tissue
• Cell components such as nucleic acids with a net negative
charge (anionic) have an affinity for basic dyes and are
termed basophilic
– For example, hematoxylin a basic dye stains DNA in the
cell nucleus, RNA-rich portions of the cytoplasm, and the
matrix of cartilage, producing a dark blue or purple color
• cationic (positive charge) components, such as proteins with
many ionized amino groups, stain more readily with acidic
dyes and are termed acidophilic
– For example, Eosin a acidic dye stains , other cytoplasmic
structures and collagen pink
• H ..stains the nucleus
blue/purple
• E ..stains the cytoplasm
Pink/Red
• Fixation
• Processing
• Cutting
• Staining
Hematoxylin - Eosin
HE
The causes of
disease
Disease can be caused by either
Environmental factor
Genetic factors
Both
Environmental
• Environmental causes of disease are many and are
classified into:
1. Physical agents: trauma, radiation, extremes of
temperature
2. Chemicals: drugs, acids …
3. Nutritional deficiencies & excesses
4. Infections & infestations: Viruses, bacteria, fungi,
protozoa
5. Immunological factors: Hypersensitivity reaction/
Immunodeficiency/ Autoimmunity
6. Psychogenic factors
Genetic Factors
Incubation
period