Anatomical pathology is the branch of medicine that studies the macroscopic and microscopic changes caused by diseases in organs and tissues of the human body and aims to provide a diagnosis. It is used either in post-mortem (after death) examinations to identify or determine the cause of death, or in analysis of biopsies and surgical specimens for diagnosing the disease and choices of surgery.
What does an anatomopathologist do?
An anatomopathologist is a doctor who specializes in anatomical pathology. The main role of this specialist is to formulate a diagnosis for diseases by examining microscopic and macroscopic tissue. The specialist is also very important in oncology for the examination of a tissue sample taken from a patient, in order to underline the type of tumor and prepare a specific therapy for the patient.
What diseases are treated by an anatomopathologist?
In the case of examinations conducted post-mortem and autopsies, diseases with which the specialist can come into contact are countless. If an anatomopathologist is analyzing sample tissues and biopsies, the most common diseases are undoubtedly those of oncological nature.
What are the procedures used by an anatomopathologist?
The procedures used by the specialist include examinations of microscopic cells present in samples of tissue from different sources such as body fluids, secretions, and intracavitary, examinations of biopsies, tissue samples taken during surgery (histopathology), and post-mortem examinations (autopsies).
