Dictionary of pathology

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

The Dictionary of Pathology is an extensive collection of terms and concepts associated with the field of pathology. Pathology is the study of disease, its causes, and the changes it brings about in tissues and organs. This dictionary aims to provide healthcare professionals, students, and researchers with concise definitions of pathological terms.

A[edit | edit source]

  • Acantholysis - The loss of intercellular connections resulting in the separation of epidermal cells, seen in diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris.
  • Acute inflammation - The immediate and early response to injury or infection, characterized by pain, redness, swelling, and heat.

B[edit | edit source]

  • Biopsy - The removal and examination of tissue from the living body to diagnose disease.
  • Basal cell carcinoma - A type of skin cancer that begins in the basal cells.

C[edit | edit source]

  • Carcinogenesis - The process by which normal cells are transformed into cancer cells.
  • Chronic inflammation - Long-term inflammation which can result from persistent foreign bodies, autoimmune responses, or chronic infections.

D[edit | edit source]

  • Dysplasia - The presence of cells of an abnormal type within a tissue, which may signify a stage preceding the development of cancer.
  • Degeneration - The deterioration of tissues or organs due to disease or ageing.

E[edit | edit source]

  • Edema - An accumulation of an excessive amount of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or body cavities.
  • Erythroplasia - A pathological red lesion of the mucous membranes, considered potentially malignant.

F[edit | edit source]

  • Fibrosis - The thickening and scarring of connective tissue, usually as a result of injury.
  • Fatty change - The accumulation of fat in cells, typically in the liver (also known as steatosis).

G[edit | edit source]

  • Granuloma - A small area of inflammation due to tissue injury, characterized by clusters of macrophages and other cells.
  • Gangrene - The death of tissue in part of the body due to a loss of blood supply followed by bacterial invasion.

H[edit | edit source]

  • Hyperplasia - An increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue, which may lead to an increase in size.
  • Hematopathology - The branch of pathology which studies diseases of hematopoietic cells.

I[edit | edit source]

  • Ischemia - An inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body, especially the heart muscles.
  • Immunohistochemistry - A laboratory technique used for the visual identification of components in tissues by means of specific antibodies.

J[edit | edit source]

  • Jaundice - Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by an accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, commonly associated with liver disease.
  • Joint pathology - The study of diseases that affect the joints, such as arthritis.

K[edit | edit source]

  • Karyorrhexis - The destructive fragmentation of the nucleus of a dying cell wherein its chromatin is distributed irregularly throughout the cytoplasm.
  • Keratinization - The process by which cells in epithelial tissue change shape and composition as they move to the surface of the skin.

L[edit | edit source]

  • Lymphadenopathy - Disease of the lymph nodes in which they are abnormal in size, number, or consistency.
  • Lesion - A region in an organ or tissue which has suffered damage through injury or disease.

M[edit | edit source]

  • Metaplasia - A change in the type of adult cells in a tissue to a form that is not normal for that tissue.
  • Myopathy - Any disease of the muscles that is not caused by nerve disorders.

N[edit | edit source]

  • Necrosis - The death of body tissue due to a lack of blood flow or following the injury from burns, chemicals, or infection.
  • Neoplasia - The process of new, uncontrolled growth of cells that is not under physiologic control.

O[edit | edit source]

  • Oncology - The branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
  • Osteopathy - A type of alternative medicine that emphasizes physical manipulation of muscle tissue and bones.

P[edit | edit source]

  • Pathogen - Any organism or substance, particularly a microorganism, capable of causing disease.
  • Pyknosis - The irreversible condensation of chromatin in the nucleus of a cell undergoing programmed cell death or apoptosis.

Q[edit | edit source]

  • Quantitative pathology - The use of measurable data to assess and classify pathological changes in tissues and organs.

R[edit | edit source]

  • Reactive changes - Non-neoplastic cellular changes occurring as a response to injury or abnormal stimulation.
  • Rhabdomyolysis - The breakdown of damaged skeletal muscle tissue leading to the release of muscle fiber contents into the blood.

S[edit | edit source]

T[edit | edit source]

  • Tumorigenesis - The formation of a tumor or tumors.
  • Thrombosis - The formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system.

U[edit | edit source]

  • Ulcer - A sore on the skin or a mucous membrane accompanied by the disintegration of tissue.
  • Uropathology - The branch of anatomic pathology concerned with diseases of the urinary system.

V[edit | edit source]

  • Vasculitis - Inflammation of the blood vessels, which can cause restrictions in blood flow leading to organ and tissue damage.
  • Virology - The study of viruses and virus-like agents, including their taxonomy, disease-producing properties, cultivation, and genetics.

W[edit | edit source]

  • Wound healing - The process by which the skin or any damaged organ repairs itself after injury.
  • Warthin's tumor - A benign salivary gland tumor, also known as papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum.

X[edit | edit source]

  • Xanthoma - A condition in which fat builds up under the surface of the skin, commonly associated with high levels of blood lipids.

Y[edit | edit source]

  • Yellow fever - A viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, not typically categorized under pathology but important for differential diagnoses in certain regions.

Z[edit | edit source]

  • Zoonosis - An infectious disease that has jumped from a non-human animal to humans.

List of pathology articles[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Also see[edit | edit source]

Glossary of pathology Pathology

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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD