Pathology Subspecialties:
Anatomic Pathology:
Anatomic Pathology is a specialty in the medical field focused on the diagnosis of disease based on the microscopic, gross, chemical molecular and immunologic view of organs, tissues and entire bodies. It is divided into specialties, the main ones are parensic pathology, cytopathology and surgical pathology. To practice pathology, medical school must be completed.
Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology:
This is a medical specialty group focused on the diagnosis of disease based on the chemical, microscopic, gross, immunologic and molecular observation of tissues, organs and full bodies. Anatomic Pathology is divided into numerous subspecialties. Some of these are cytopathology, forensic pathology and surgical pathology.
Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine:
Blood conservation and transfusion are the two activities that define the clinical area of transfusion medicine. This is where blood or blood products are transferred from one recipient to another's blood stream. Normally this is done as a life saving maneuver in emergency situations, where a patient has lost a lot of blood.
Chemical Pathology:
Is also referred to as Clinical Biochemistry. It is the use of biochemical and various biological methods in the diagnosis and potential treatment of disease. Chemical Pathology stems from the science side of medicine.
Clinical Pathology:
Is a medical specialty concerned with the diagnosing of disease based on the laboratory analysis of bodily fluids, like blood and urine, implementing tools of microbiology, chemistry, molecular pathology and hematology. Clinical Pathology requires a medical residency.
Clinical Pathology/Laboratory Medicine:
Laboratory Medicine is normally divided into two sections. These two sections are anatomic pathology and clinical pathology. This is where tests are completed on clinical specimens for the purpose of getting information about the health of a patient, which will help in diagnosing, treating and preventing disease.
Cytopathology:
This is a branch of pathology that diagnoses and studies various diseases on the cellular level. A common example is a pap smear. It is also used to investigate diseases involving sterile body cavities, thyroid lesions and a wide variety of other body sites.
Dermatopathology:
Dermatopathology is a medical health field that uses dermatology and surgical pathology and focuses on the study of cutaneous diseases at a microscopic level. As well, it analyses the potential causes of skin diseases at a cellular level. They work in close proximity to dermatologists.
Forensic Pathology:
Forensic Pathology is concerned with figuring out the cause of death by looking at a corpse. A medical examiner or coroner will order the autopsy and a licensed Pathologist will complete it. Forensic Pathologists are also often needed to confirm the identity of a corpse.
Hematology:
Hematology is concerned with diagnosing, treating and preventing blood diseases and cancer. As well, Hematology researches these diseases. These diseases include sickle cell disease, hemophilia an iron deficiency anemia, to name a few.
Immunopathology:
This area of medicine handles the immune responses attached to disease. This is inclusive of the study of the pathology of an organ, disease or organ system with attention to the immunity implications. Immunopathology is specialty off of Clinical Pathology.
Medical Microbiology:
Focuses on how the body responds to invading microorganisms. It is a section of both microbiology and medicine and deals with studying various microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi. All of which are of medical importance because they can catalyze disease in the body.
Molecular Genetic Pathology:
Is a description of disease and processes based on the underlying protein and genetic defects. It is a specialty division of pathology. A molecular genetic pathologyis gives information about gene structure, function and alternation and application to lab techniques for diagnosing, treating and prognoses for people with related disorders.
Neuropathology:
Is the study of disease of the tissues of the nervous system, normally by either small surgical biopsies or whole autopsy brains. It is a division of neurology, anatomic pathology and neurosurgery. Don't confuse it with neuropathy, which is disorders of the nerves.
Pediatric Pathology:
Handles the diagnosis and characterization of neoplatic and non-neoplastic disease in adolescents. These medical specialists work closely with Pediatricians. There are numerous Pediatric Pathology Organizations, such as American Academy of Pediatrics, Placenta Association of the Americas and International Society for the Study of Trophoblastic Diseases.