The key difference between general and systemic pathology is that the general pathology is the basic reaction of cells and tissue in response to abnormal stimuli that govern all diseases. On the other hand, systemic pathology is the study of diseases as they occur within a particular organ system.
Pathology is the study of the cause (etiology) and pathogenesis (evolution) of different types of diseases and the response of the organism to such disease conditions. Here, the main four components of pathology include etiology, pathogenesis, morphological changes and clinical significance. Furthermore, pathology is the basis of providing information to understand the mechanisms of a disease, disease classification, diagnosis of disease, basis of treatment, disease progression monitoring, prognosis determination and to understand complications of the disease. Likewise, general and Systemic are two major areas in the study of pathology.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is General Pathology
3. What is Systemic Pathology
4. Similarities Between General and Systemic Pathology
5. Side by Side Comparison – General vs Systemic Pathology in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is General Pathology?
General pathology is the basic study of cellular responses to different abnormal stimuli generated. Hence, it especially concerns with aspects of the investigation in health and disease under laboratory level. Moreover, general pathology focuses on the etiology, manifestation and diagnosis of disease. Pathologists conduct investigations on these areas. Therefore, general pathologists possess a broad knowledge and understanding of different aspects which include pathophysiology of the disease, the diagnostic value of individual tests and laboratory conduct codes. The biomedical science knowledge of a pathologist directly affects the diagnosis of disease.
Figure 01: General Pathology
Moreover, general pathology specializes with encompassing surgical pathology, autopsy pathology, anatomical pathology, cytology, medical biochemistry, hematological pathology, transfusion medicine, macroscopic pathology, immuno-pathology, molecular pathology and medical microbiology.
What is Systemic Pathology?
Systemic pathology is the study of diseases as they occur within a particular organ system. It involves different components of studies. They are; etiology, pathogenesis, specific diagnostic features, epidemiology, macroscopic appearance, microscopic appearance, natural history, and sequelae. In other terms, systemic pathology is the clinical aspects of a disease developed and presented in each organ system. Thus, systemic pathology is a tissue-based clinical science.
Figure 02: Systemic Pathology
Hence, it is highly dependent on the cellular and molecular analytical techniques. Furthermore, systemic pathology investigates different body systems such as cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, endocrine system, biliary system, skin, peripheral nervous system etc. and tissues like blood, bone marrow, connective and osteoarticular tissues, etc.
What are the Similarities Between General and Systemic Pathology?
- Both types are components of the study of pathology.
- Also, both types investigate etiology and pathogenesis of the disease.
- Besides, pathologists conduct investigations under both divisions.
What is the Difference Between General and Systemic Pathology?
General and systemic pathology are two main areas of disease study in pathology. General pathology focuses on studying the mechanisms of diseases with emphasis on etiology and pathogenesis. On the other hand, systemic pathology focuses on studying the way of diseases occur in organ systems. Hence, other than etiology and pathogenesis, it involves specific diagnostic features, epidemiology, macroscopic appearance, microscopic appearance, natural history and sequelae. Thus, this is the key difference between general and systemic pathology. Furthermore, general pathology is a cellular-based study while system pathology is an organ system-based study. Hence, this is a significant difference between general and systemic pathology.
The below infographic is a summary of the difference between general and systemic pathology.
Summary – General vs Systemic Pathology
In simple terms, pathology is the study of disease. The main four components of pathology include etiology, pathogenesis, morphological changes and clinical significance. Moreover, general and Systemic are two major components in the study of pathology. Accordingly, general pathology is the basic reaction of cells and tissue in response to abnormal stimuli that govern all diseases. Hence, general pathology is cellular based and conducted at cellular levels. On the other hand, systemic pathology is the study of diseases in the way they occur within a particular organ system. It is a tissue-based clinical study conducted at organ system levels. Thus, this summarizes the difference between general and systemic pathology.
Reference:
1.“What Is Pathology?” What Is Pathology? – Pathology & Public – About ESP. Available here
2.“What Is Pathology?” McGill Library, 28 Jan. 2015. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.”14784691043″ by Internet Archive Book Images (CC0) via Flickr
2.”Systemic lupus erythematosus lymphadenopathy – intermed mag”By Nephron – Own work, (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia