RANZCR Pathology study guide
RANZCR Pathology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The RANZCR Pathology component sits within the First Part Examination of the Clinical Radiology Training Program run by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists. It is intended for clinical radiology trainees who must pass the college's early examinations before progressing through training toward Fellowship, and it tests general and systemic pathology in the way that pathology underpins diagnostic imaging interpretation. Candidates should treat the syllabus as applied rather than purely theoretical: the value of pathology knowledge lies in linking disease processes to the imaging appearances, differential diagnoses and clinical behaviour that radiologists report on daily. Preparation is best built around a structured reading plan covering general pathology mechanisms - inflammation, neoplasia, vascular and metabolic disease - alongside systemic organ-based pathology, reinforced by active recall and repeated practice under timed conditions rather than passive rereading. Because exam regulations, formats, fees and scheduling are set by the College and can change between cycles, candidates should confirm all administrative details directly with RANZCR's published examination pages and trainee resources rather than relying on second-hand summaries. The study platform providing this page is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of RANZCR; it offers original practice material only. Topics on this exam: Pathology (general and systemic pathology relevant to clinical radiology). The RANZCR Pathology study guide has 1 section and about 600 words.
01General and Systemic Pathology for the Radiologist
Radiology questions on this exam rarely ask you to diagnose histology in isolation. They test whether you can connect an imaging pattern to an underlying pathological process, predict behaviour, and anticipate complications. Build your knowledge around four axes: cell injury and death , inflammation and repair , neoplasia , and haemodynamic and metabolic disturbance . Understand the difference between necrosis and apoptosis: coagulative necrosis preserves tissue architecture (classically infarcts of solid organs), caseous necrosis is structureless and granulomatous, and liquefactive necrosis dominates brain infarcts and abscesses.
600 words, about 3 minMore study resources for RANZCR Pathology
- Practice questionsWhich cell type gives rise to the majority of primary malignant bone tumours in adults, including conventional osteosarcoma?
- FlashcardsCoagulative necrosis. Necrosis in which tissue architecture is preserved for days; typical of ischemic injury to heart, kidney, and spleen, where denatured proteins block enzymatic digestion.
- Cheat sheetCell injury: reversible injury shows cellular swelling and fatty change; irreversible injury is marked by mitochondrial membrane rupture and plasma membrane loss, with necrosis or apoptosis as the endpoint.
- Key termsNeoplasia. The autonomous, excessive growth of cells that persists after the stimulus causing it has stopped, usually due to acquired genetic alterations.
- Study planMap the syllabus into an organ-system checklist and rank topics by exam weight and personal weakness.
- Common mistakesCandidates prepare from radiology reporting habits and treat the pathology paper as a repeat of the imaging paper, so they never translate morphology into aetiology.
- Exam-day guideBring the original, current photo ID that matches the name on your registration.