Opkomst en teloorgang van technieken in de pathologie

For the past 150 years the most constant factor in the pathologist’s histopathological diagnostic work-up has been haematoxylin staining. This technique, in combination with later additional staining techniques, determined knowledge on a cellular level for a long time. The invention of the transmission electron microscope added an ultrastructural dimension, and for many decennia in the middle of the twentieth century this was an important diagnostic tool. Enzyme histochemistry and morphometry came next, but these techniques never really became important as they were largely overtaken by immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics. These, in their turn, will face competition from proteomics and other forms of genomics. It seems likely that the trusty light microscope will loose out to digital microscopy, which is developing rapidly and offers the possibility to make a diagnosis at a distance. Pathology will continue to be a specialty on the move.

Conflict of interest: Professor van Diest received funding for his institution from Philips for professional advice and from the Dutch Cancer Society, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Center for Translational Molecular Medicine (CTMM) among others for research, and from Roche for lectures. Financial support for this article: none declared.