Basic Cellular Pathology Notes
Subject Overview
Basic Cellular Pathology surveys disease by organ system — the alimentary and digestive tracts, accessory digestive glands, the circulatory system, respiratory conditions from asthma to tuberculosis, urinary system disorders, the reproductive system, the nervous system, endocrine disorders and disorders of the sense organs — building the disease-recognition foundation for the diagnostic papers that follow. A 4-credit core theory paper.
Subject at a glance
4
Units
47
Topics
4
Credits
4
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
4 units — open any unit for detailed topic-wise notes, diagrams and important exam questions
- Diseases of the mouth
- oesophageal varices
- gastritis
- peptic ulceration
- appendicitis
- microbial diseases
- food poisoning
- hernia
- intestinal obstruction and malabsorption
- salivary gland diseases (mumps)
- hepatitis
- liver failure
- cirrhosis
- pancreatitis
- gall stones
- jaundice
Pre-hepatic (haemolytic)
Excess breakdown of red cells
Raised unconjugated bilirubin; urine urobilinogen up
Hepatic
Liver cell damage, e.g. hepatitis
Both bilirubins raised; ALT and AST high
Post-hepatic (obstructive)
Blocked bile flow, e.g. gallstones
Raised conjugated bilirubin; ALP high; pale stools
Study guide
Pathology is the study of disease. This unit covers disorders of the digestive system and related organs: diseases of the mouth, oesophageal varices, gastritis, peptic ulcers, appendicitis, food poisoning, hernia, obstruction, malabsorption, mumps, hepatitis, liver failure, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, gallstones and jaundice. For each disease, learn the cause, the changes in the tissue and the laboratory findings.
- Diseases of blood vessels (atheroma, arteriosclerosis, heart block)
- hyper- and hypotension
- upper respiratory tract infection
- bronchial asthma
- pneumonia
- lung abscess
- tuberculosis
- lung collapse
Organism
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Commonly Streptococcus pneumoniae
Onset
Slow: weeks of cough, fever, weight loss
Sudden: high fever, productive cough
Key lab tests
Sputum AFB (Z-N), CBNAAT/GeneXpert, culture
Gram stain, sputum and blood culture
Study guide
You study diseases of blood vessels (atheroma, arteriosclerosis, heart block), hypertension and hypotension, respiratory tract infections, asthma, pneumonia, lung abscess, tuberculosis and lung collapse. Link each disease to the lab tests or specimens used in diagnosis.
- Glomerulonephritis
- nephrotic syndrome
- renal failure
- renal calculi
- urinary obstruction
- urinary tract infection
- sexually transmitted diseases
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
- disease of the ovaries
- ectopic pregnancy
- prostatitis
- infertility
Main feature
Inflammation of glomeruli
Leaky glomerular filter
Urine
Blood (haematuria), RBC casts
Heavy protein (> 3.5 g/day)
Blood
Raised urea and creatinine
Low albumin, high cholesterol
Signs
Hypertension, mild oedema
Marked oedema
Study guide
You study kidney and urinary diseases (glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, renal failure, stones, obstruction, UTI) and reproductive disorders (sexually transmitted infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, ovarian disease, ectopic pregnancy, prostatitis, infertility). Learn the typical urine findings of the main kidney disorders.
- Neuronal damage
- raised intracranial pressure
- cerebral infarction
- head injury
- Alzheimer's disease
- dementia
- pituitary
- thyroid (goitre)
- adrenal (Cushing's, Addison's) and pancreatic (diabetes) disorders
- otitis and cataract
Diabetes mellitus
Insulin deficiency or resistance
Fasting glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL; HbA1c ≥ 6.5%
Hypothyroidism
Low T3, T4
High TSH (primary)
Cushing's syndrome
Excess cortisol
High cortisol, loss of daily rhythm
Addison's disease
Low cortisol and aldosterone
Low sodium, high potassium
Study guide
You study neurological disorders (neuronal damage, raised intracranial pressure, stroke, head injury, Alzheimer's disease, dementia), endocrine disorders (pituitary, thyroid goitre, adrenal Cushing's and Addison's, diabetes) and conditions of the ear and eye. Prepare a table of endocrine disorders, the hormone involved and the laboratory test.
Why Basic Cellular Pathology Matters
Pathology connects the science you have learned to real disease. Understanding what happens in the tissue behind each condition lets a laboratory technologist see why each test is ordered and what the result means.
How to Prepare for Basic Cellular Pathology
- For each disease, make a card with cause, pathology, clinical features and diagnostic tests.
- Link each system's diseases to its key laboratory investigations.
- Use images of stained slides to learn how disease looks under the microscope.
Basic Cellular Pathology: Frequently Asked Questions
What is pathology?
Pathology is the study of the causes, mechanisms and effects of disease, and the laboratory examination of tissues, cells and body fluids to diagnose it.
Why is pathology important for lab technologists?
Understanding the disease behind each test helps technologists perform and interpret investigations accurately and recognise abnormal findings.