General Pathology - Renal Pathology

Renal Pathology

Renal pathology is the study of medial diseases (non-tumor) of the kidney. In the United States, renal pathology is practiced by physicians who have completed general pathology residency training (anatomic or combined anatomic/clinical) and an additional year of fellowship training in renal pathology. A renal pathologist reviews biopsies of the kidney and integrates findings from multiple methodologies including light microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy, and electron microscopy. Renal pathologists work closely with nephrologists and carefully integrate the clinical history/laboratory studies in the evaluation of renal biopsy specimens. Renal pathologists require a detailed understanding of immunology as it is often critical in interpreting specimens (particularly from renal transplants) as well as conceptualizing pathogenesis of many renal diseases. Once a morphologic diagnosis is made my a renal pathologist, the diagnosis is communicated to the clinical physician (nephrologist) who can then formulate a plan of care/treatment.