Description

Pathology in general is closely linked with clinical medi- cardiographic changes may be desired and therefore a cine and in cardiovascular pathology this interdepend- short section has been included on cutting the heart ence is, perhaps, greater than in most other specialities. according to conventionally used echocardiographic In recent years great advances in investigatory proce- planes. dures have taken place, including the examination of The heart can only react to physiological changes or fresh endomyocardial tissue obtained by bioptome, per- damage in a limited way and therefore a separate chapter mitting not only clinico-pathological correlation but also on hypertrophy and dilatation and another chapter deal- examination at histochemical and ultrastructural levels. ing with changes in the endocardium, which reflect hae- Angiography has gained wider usage and two-dimen- modynamic alteration and may additionally show sional echocardiography is no longer the preserve of diagnostic features, are also included. Degeneration to- specialized units. Percutaneous coronary transluminal gether with changes in connective tissue and ischaemic angioplasty is a relatively new approach to relieving heart disease are separately presented. Atherogenesis, obstructive coronary artery disease. Cardiac pathology recognition of myocardial infarction and the earliest mor- has therefore moved apace, providing not only a back- phological changes discernible at histochemical and ground to clinical manifestations but also visual proof for ultrastructural levels of investigation, which are within other investigations such as immunology and virology. the scope of modern routine laboratories, are empha- Such investigations have played an essential role in sized.