What aspect does pathology primarily focus on?

Pathology primarily focuses on diseases and their effects, making it essential for understanding how various conditions affect the body at a cellular and systemic level. This field encompasses the study of the causes, development, and consequences of diseases, providing insights into how they impact overall health and can lead to various symptoms or impairments.

In pathology, the emphasis is on understanding the disease processes, which includes looking at the structural and functional changes in tissues and organs as a result of illness. This is crucial not only for diagnostics but also for informing treatment options and predicting outcomes.

By concentrating on diseases and their effects, pathology serves as a foundation for other medical disciplines, aiding in the understanding of how different diseases manifest and progress, which is vital for both clinical practice and forensic analysis.