Pathology: The Study of Disease

Pathology is the comprehensive scientific study of disease, investigating its causes, mechanisms of development (pathogenesis), structural alterations in cells and tissues, and their clinical consequences. In modern medical practice, physicians known as pathologists play a crucial role by diagnosing illnesses primarily through the analysis of human tissue and cell samples, forming a cornerstone of contemporary diagnosis and medical research. This vital field encompasses major specialties like anatomical pathology, focused on tissue and cell examination, and clinical pathology, dealing with body fluids, alongside numerous sub-specialties. Derived from early 16th-century Greek roots meaning "study of suffering," pathology's history dates back to antiquity, with early contributions from figures such as Hippocrates in ancient Greece. Following periods of slow development, the resurgence of empirical methods in the Renaissance significantly advanced the field, leading to Robert Hooke's coining of the term "cell" in the 17th century and establishing modern pathology as a distinct scientific discipline by the 19th century.