Essentials of Clinical Pathology

by Shirish M Kawthalkar

The major aims of this book are discussion of (i) use of laboratory tests in the investigation and management of common diseases, and (ii) basic biochemical and pathological principles underlying the application of laboratory tests. The book has been written keeping in mind mainly the curricula of undergraduate students of pathology. It should also prove to be appropriate for postgraduate residents and students of medical laboratory technology. The laboratory tests that are demonstrated to and performed by medical students in pathology practical class and during university examination are given in more detail. To keep pace with new knowledge and advances, principles of currently performed techniques in clinical laboratory practice have also been outlined. Most of the chapters are followed by reference ranges and critical values for ready access. Critical values or action values are those laboratory results that require immediate attention of the treating clinician. While interpreting results of laboratory tests, it is necessary to follow two fundamental rules of laboratory medicine: (i) diagnosis should never be made from a single abnormal test result (since it is affected by a number of pre-analytical and analytical factors) and (ii) try to arrive at a single diagnosis (rather than multiple diagnoses) from all the abnormal test results obtained. Clinical pathology is the second major subdivision of the discipline of pathology after anatomic pathology. It is concerned with laboratory investigations for screening, diagnosis, and overall management of diseases by analysis of blood, urine, body fluids, and other specimens. The specialties included under the discipline of clinical pathology are clinical chemistry, hematology, blood banking, medical microbiology, cytogenetics, and molecular genetics. However, scope of this book does not allow microbiology and genetics to be included in this book.

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