Pathology plays a particularly important role in preventive medicine by ruling out diseases or detecting them early. For example, by reporting a high cholesterol level found with a blood test, the pathologist can help the patient's physician control the condition and prevent a heart attack or stroke. Twenty years ago, physicians had relatively few laboratory tests to use to detect disease. With advances in biomedical science, over 2,000 tests on blood and body fluids are now available. Medical technologists and other laboratory personnel work with pathologists to insure that these tests are available to your physician when and where they are needed, and that the results are accurate.
Pathologists often help to determine which test is most effective for a complete diagnosis.
Some tests, such as a glucose test, produce results that are understood by all physicians. Others require specialized professional interpretation by an expert, usually a pathologist. All tissues removed at biopsy or surgery are examined under the microscope by a pathologist who makes a diagnosis. The pathologist quickly provides information to help the surgeons complete the operation in a way that assures the best result possible for the patient. FNA allows physicians to remove fluid and cells from a suspected tumor using a hollow needle and may take the place of surgery to obtain a biopsy.