Cytopathology

/ˌsaɪtəʊpəˈθɒlədʒi/ noun

Definition

The medical specialty that studies and diagnoses disease by examining cells under a microscope, particularly cancer and infections.

Etymology

From Greek 'kytos' (cell) + 'pathos' (disease) + 'logos' (study). This compound was formed in the 20th century as microscopy made cellular diagnosis possible.

Kelly Says

Cytopathology is how doctors find cancer before it spreads—a Pap smear that detects early cervical cancer or a throat swab that identifies infection relies entirely on cytopathologists spotting abnormal cells under microscopes.

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