Welcome in the Institute of Pathology!
Pathology is the study of disease. The large majority of disorders are associated with changes in the structure of the tissue and/or cells. Therefore, the pathologist can identify the respective alterations and is thus able to make a diagnosis. For the analysis, various forms of tissue specimen preparation are possible. A broad spectrum of different techniques is used in the Institute of Pathology in Mainz. Besides standard histology, specific proteins can be observed by immunohistochemistry. In the case of molecular pathology, the analysis is performed on the base of specific alterations of the genome. To apply this method, a small amount of tissue or cells is needed.
In the 20th and especially in the 19th century, pathology was focused on the identification of the cause of death (autopsy) by examination of deceaded patients. By contrast, nowadays pathology is mainly addressed to living patients. For example: in the Institute of Pathology of the University of Mainz, tissue specimens of more than 50.000 patients are studied annually.
Since 2007, the Institute of Pathology in Mainz has been accredited. Thus, we ensure for both our patients and our referring physicians for high quality of diagnoses.
In addition, an ambulatory health care center (“Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum”- MVZ) has been established in 2008.