Investigating the abnormal

• Disease


  a state in which there is sufficient departure from the normal for signs and symptoms to be produced
• Lesions

  variations from the normal
• Aetiology


  cause of disease
• Pathogenesis


  development of a lesion
• What does it mean to describe aetiology as multifactorial?

  when a single cause for a disease or condition cannot be found
• syndrome


  a condition in which several symptoms occur to form a characteristic disease pattern
• Idiopathc


  unknown cause of disease
• Pathology


  the scientific study of disease
• Symptoms


  something of which the pt complains
• Signs


  something the clinician observes
• How will a swelling containing fluid feel?


  fluctuant on palpitation
• Biopsy


  A section of abnormal and surrounding normal tissue is surgically removed and sent for lab analysis
• Prognosis


  a forecast of the probable duration and termination of a disease
• Why may some conditions have a poorer prognosis from the outset?

  - lack of knowledge of the aetiology- virulence of the infective agent- rapid dissemination of abnormal cells throughout the body- lack of immunity in the host