Pathological anatomy and its importance in the hospital setting

Abstract

Pathological anatomy (PA) is a specialty whose history dates back to 1837. It is part of hospital procedures, primarily surgical procedures, since it provides an accurate diagnosis to the patient; however, it continues to be an undervalued specialty, which is why the objective of this study was to raise awareness of the importance of PA in hospital procedures and its contributions to medicine. It was conducted a web review of medical articles in Spanish and English that referred to situations where PA provided solutions, evidence, or justified its intervention. Medical articles were found that referred to the importance of histopathological diagnosis, its role in multidisciplinary teams, the diagnostic certainty it offers, its role in teaching, and its role as evidence in oncology treatments. Changes with new technologies were also reviewed, primarily the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to pathological anatomy laboratories. Another relevant area is provided by its usefulness in the advancement of immunological therapies and interventional radiology. With these changes there is an increase in the popularity of PA, discipline that provides accurate diagnoses, often guiding surgical and medical practice, and also facilitating research. The absence of this discipline leads to inaccurate diagnoses, limited medical research, and reduced treatment options; therefore, its presence is essential in every hospital, especially those with surgical departments.