Diagnostic pathology

"Declining rates of hospital autopsies have not diminished the enthusiasm of those us who practice this field of pathology. This multi-author text combining the talents of many experts in this field is a witness to this. Engaging young pathologists in this field is vital to preserving what is arguably the bedrock of all pathology knowledge. This volume aims to present the hospital autopsy as it is really practiced - with real case presentations, approaches to dissection, chart review focusing, and reporting suggestions. This is, in part, intended to assist in the training and just-in-time preparation for trainees and new pathologists, as well as those who unfortunately don't get the chance to perform autopsies routinely. The format follows others volumes related to surgical pathology in this series. At first, fitting an autopsy text into such a format was challenging, but ultimately made sense as a way to emphasize the role that autopsy plays in modern medicine. Making diagnoses at autopsy and correlating them clinically is not fundamentally different than the diagnostic processes in surgical pathology. One key distinction between autopsy and surgical pathology is the number of stakeholders affected by the autopsy diagnosis; the next of kin first and foremost, but also caregivers, health care systems, and the community. It is our hope that this text will help improve the quality of hospital autopsies, help impact families and communities through the answers the autopsy can provide, and help pathologists enjoy the diagnostic journey."--Provided by publisher