In the usual scenario, when a person goes to the doctor for an illness or physical abnormality, he is recommended to take specific tests ranging from blood tests to stool tests to determine the underlying problem based on his symptoms. All tests are performed by a pathologist at a pathology or diagnostic centre.
What do pathologists do?
Pathologists take the blood, urine and other samples of the patient and examine them to determine the presence of any abnormalities. Therefore, they play a vital role in the diagnosis and treatment of an individual. But the type of testing that a pathologist do depends upon factors such as the tools they use, the area of pathology and much more.
There are three types of pathology- Clinical pathology, Anatomical pathology and molecular pathology. These types have their own subtypes- Let us get into the detail of each type.
Anatomical pathology
In anatomical pathology, human tissues and organs are studied to identify certain diseases and help diagnose them. It also includes observing cells under a microscope to investigate their chemical properties and many other things. Though anatomical pathology help identifies tumours and cancers, it also helps determine kidney and liver diseases. Below are a few subtypes of anatomical pathology.
1. Surgical pathology
The tissue removed during the operation is examined in surgical pathology. One of the most common examples is the examination of tumour tissue to determine whether it is cancerous. In surgical pathology, the tissues are examined with the naked eye and under a microscope. New techniques for analyzing tissues, such as DNA/RNA analysis, have also been developed in recent years.
2. Histopathology
Histopathology is the examination of tissues using a microscope to find if there are any diseases or abnormalities. Pathologists take the specimen of the tissue and put it on the glass slides to examine it. The cells are usually stained with dye to make them visible or easy to see under a microscope.
3. Cytopathology
In cytopathology, a small group of cells from bodily fluids are examined to determine a diagnosis. Sometimes the cells are obtained through scrapping, such as in the case of a cervical pap smear. Cytopathology has two branches: Exfoliative and Intervention cytology.
Cytopathologists conduct tests in almost all areas of your body to offer the right diagnosis. Some of them are breast cytology, thyroid cytology, respiratory cytology and much more.
Clinical pathology
Clinical pathology involves the examination of body fluids and tissues in a laboratory. In clinical pathology, samples are analyzed to identify the presence of microorganisms along with the analysis of chemical components in the blood. If your doctor recommends a blood test in Blacktown, you should know about different types of clinical pathology. Some of the most common types are-
1. Chemical pathology
In chemical pathology, bodily fluids are chemically analyzed with the help of microscopy and testing. Chemical pathology studies the components, such as white blood cells in the blood.
2. Hematology
Though haematology is the study of blood, it helps in identifying blood diseases. Some common haematology tests are complete blood count, which includes white blood cells (WBC) and red blood cell count(RBC), platelet count, Prothrombin time and Partial Thromboplastin time tests.
3. Immunology
Immunology determines the disorders in the human immune system, such as its response to allergies and diseases.
Molecular pathology
Abnormalities in cells and tissues are studied at the molecular level in molecular pathology. It is the combination of anatomical and clinical pathology in which several techniques are used to determine the abnormalities in the tissues and cells.
How to pick a pathology centre?
Below are some ways to choose the best pathology centre in Blacktown.
1. Amenities
The pathology centre must have all the modern medical tools and equipment to carry out the examination properly and obtain accurate results.
2. Reputation
It’s vital to analyze the credibility of a diagnostic centre to ensure they meet the necessary healthcare standards, which will guarantee a safe environment for the patient.
3. Accuracy
Accurate results must be your top-most priority when it comes to selecting a pathology centre. Since accuracy will determine your diagnosis, ensure whatever lab you choose provides accurate results.
4. Timely delivery
The pathology centre must provide reports on time because a delay in the delivery of reports will lead to unnecessary delays in the treatment, which can be dangerous to your life.
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