VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.
Pathology
Pathologie
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:34:21
Abstract
Pathology is the study of causes and effects of disease. This module pathology describes the pathogenetic processes and pathomorphological changes that occur in healthy and diseased tissues and cells of the human body. The module covers basic anatomical and surgical pathology and will cover the current and future possibilities of diagnostic practice in pathology.
Objective
After successfully completing the «General Pathology» module, students should be able to: 1. describe the goals and methods of pathoanatomical diagnostics and in reference to clinical practice. 2. name the general causes and mechanisms of disease development and the associated pathomorphological changes in cells and tissues. 3. fundamentally link the general causes and mechanisms of disease development with the therapeutic approaches that arise from them. 4. describe the mechanisms of general inflammation, cell damage and circulatory pathology and relate them to the pathogenesis of specific diseases. 5. explain the basics of the classification of benign and malignant tumors. 6. describe the value of pathoanatomical and molecular diagnostics for the predictive and prognostic stratification of patients and to fundamentally relate them to clinical therapy decisions. After successfully completing the «Surgical Pathology» module, students should be able to: 1. name the most important organ-specific diseases of the nervous system, the endocrine system, the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the digestive system, the urogenital system, the musculoskeletal system and the skin and to describe their characteristic macroscopic and microscopic manifestations. 2. relate the etiology and pathogenesis of the most important organ-specific diseases to their morphological appearance and clinical presentation. 3. describe the etiopathogenesis of the most important organ-specific diseases and to understand the relation to the mode of action of common therapeutic approaches. 4. describe the fundamental importance of pathology and molecular diagnostics for personalized medicine and to describe specific application examples.
Content
In the module "General Pathology" general causes and mechanisms of disease development and the associated pathomorphological changes in cells and tissues are discussed. Basics, current and future possibilities of pathoanatomical diagnostics are presented. The module "General Pathology" provides the basics for understanding the diseases treated in "Special Pathology". The general pathology part covers the main topics: 1. Revision and in-depth histology; 2. introduction to pathology, histopathological and macroscopic tissue evaluation, postmortem diagnostics; 3. introduction to causes and mechanisms of disease development; 4. inflammation theory; 5. cell damage and circulation pathology; 6. general tumor theory; 7. predictive pathology. In the module "Special Pathology" you will learn about the most important organ-specific diseases. Each half-day is built around a complex of topics related to special pathology, and is implemented using various teaching methods. The most important part is the main lecture, in which we systematically discuss the diseases of the organs and organ systems with you. Using macroscopic and microscopic slides, we will show you the relation to pathophysiology, symptomatology and medical diagnostics. We establish clinical references by broadcasting the mortality conference at the USZ. An integrated revision course and exercises based on PathoMaps offer you the opportunity to link the subject matter of the lecture with already known contents, to structure it further and to clarify open points together. A special lecture on molecular pathology, digital pathology and bioinformatics will introduce you to future technologies that are of particular importance for modern medicine. The special pathology part covers the main topics: 1. upper and lower respiratory tract; 2. upper gastrointestinal tract; 3. lower gastrointestinal tract; 4. liver, gall bladder, pancreas; 5. kidney, draining urinary tract; 6. male sexual organs, prostate; 7. future technologies (molecular pathology, digital pathology, bioinformatics); 8. blood and bone marrow, lymphatic system; 9. endocrine organs; 10. skin, bones, joints, soft tissue; 11. female sexual organs, mamma; 12. neuropathology.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- BSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- end-of-semester examination
- Digital
- The exam takes place on devices provided by ETH Zurich.
Registration & Places
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise |
Allgemeine Pathologie
Die genauen Unterrichtszeiten von ONLINE - Veranstaltungen werden von den Dozierenden kommuniziert.
|
|
2 h weekly |
| lecture with exercise |
Spezielle Pathologie
Die genauen Unterrichtszeiten von ONLINE - Veranstaltungen werden von den Dozierenden kommuniziert.
|
|
4 h weekly |