What Is Clinical Pathology?

One major element of what a doctor does is diagnosis. Much of diagnosis is done not by sight but in a laboratory by a clinical pathologist. Clinical pathologists are physicians who diagnose by analyzing bodily fluids like blood or urine. It is a distinct subspecialty of pathology, separate from the other major subspecialty, anatomic pathology which is diagnosis by analyzing tissues, organs and the bodies of patients.

Diagnosis by clinical pathology

The analysis of blood can tell a lot about a patient’s health. The analysis can be made of the blood itself or the various components of it. Other fluids that are routinely analyzed include urine or the spinal fluid that is taken during a spinal tap. Each of these things are a part of what the clinical pathologist may use to draw their conclusions. A clinical pathologist will also look for signs of disease in feces and sputum. Subpsecialties of clinical pathology include hematopathology, which involves blood-related diseases and testing, and clinical microbiology which focuses on bacteria, viruses and fungi that cause illnesses.

How a clinical pathologist does their job

Tools of the clinical pathologist include microscopes that will be used to analyze samples for pathogens and signs of illness. Many illnesses show their presence by altering the fluids of the body. For example, a cancer can be caught early with a simple blood test for certain markers. A decreased haemoglobin count is a symptom of anemia. A urine cytology test can help to diagnose bladder cancer. Much of the job involves looking for the cause of a problem or problems. A clinical pathologist therefore needs the ability to think logically and to have above average skills at solving problems. Other aspects of the job involve sharing discoveries with fellow doctors including primary care physicians or in teaching situations. Therefore, a part of the skill set required to be a clinical pathologist is the ability to communicate.