Anatomic pathology is a vital part of the study and treatment of disease, and is a vast field comprised of decedent pathology, surgical pathology, cytopathology, neuropathology and ophthalmic pathology. Surgical pathology is closely affiliated with the clinical and surgical departments as well as all the surgical specialties, internal medicine, dermatology, neurology, radiology, radiation therapy, and medical oncology. Surgical pathology is the basis for diagnosis either intra-operatively or following surgery, and the surgical pathologist is called to advise the clinician about the correct diagnosis, appropriate therapy and prognosis.
In addition to the diagnosis, the surgical pathologist provides information about the grade of malignancy, adequacy of excision, and other important parameters which will contribute to the treatment of the patient. Slide review and consultation is an important aspect of surgical pathology, confirming the correct diagnosis, and ensuring uniformity of diagnosis and nomenclature at our institution. The exponential growth in knowledge, and the incorporation of increasingly sophisticated techniques, has made subspecialization an essential part of cutting edge surgical pathology as practiced at UCLA.
