The impact of technology in Pathological Anatomy and the contribution of this speciality to technological development

Abstract

It is obvious that technology has contributed throughout history to the development of the different sciences. In this article, we define the concept of Pathology as a medical speciality, and we explain its influence in a hospital, considering very different fields such as education, research, quality control, hospital information, and patient care. This speciality has undergone a considerable evolution, to which technological innovation has undoubtedly contributed. As a basic discipline, it is of great importance in pre and post-graduate training, in the medical education at the hospital or outside it, and in the fields previously mentioned. Its relation with other disciplines such us Chemistry, (fixation and dyeing), Physics (mechanical devices), Mathematics (algorithms, morphometry, statistics...) and Telecommunications (telepathology, image analysis...) is examined and their contribution to Pathology is evaluated. We are also aware of contributions made by Pathology to technological innovation in the evaluation of different diagnostic methods or in the recent therapeutic technologies based on Radiotherapy, Hyperthermia, laser, prothesis, etc.; where histological examination provides accurate information about the therapeutic capacity or side-effects, or the rejection reactions caused, aiding the research to obtain adequate results.