About Die Pathologie

Die Pathologie

Die Pathologie is a German-language specialist journal for pathology, published every two months by Springer Medizin in Berlin. Until May 2022 it appeared under the title Der Pathologe, before being renamed as part of the publisher's broad gender-inclusivity initiative that replaced titles based on male professional designations with titles based on the medical disciplines. Founded in 1979 by the pathologist Volker Becker, it is the organ of the German division of the International Academy of Pathology, the German, Austrian, and Swiss pathology societies, and the professional association of German pathologists. It is indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded, Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus. Its print ISSN is 2731-7188 and its online ISSN is 2731-7196.

Overview

Die Pathologie is a bimonthly journal dedicated to applied pathology and its clinical connections. Founded under the subtitle "Pathologie und Klinik" (pathology and clinic), it was conceived as a German-language forum for histopathological diagnostics and the qualified continuing education of diagnosticians on a scientific basis, serving the "surgical pathology" of the German-speaking world. The subtitle expressed not only an equal partnership in patient care but also a diagnostic complementarity in the recognition of disease processes and a publishing programme: case-based key observations and exemplary clinical-pathological case discussions were expressly desired from the start. Its concept combines case-based key observations and exemplary clinical-pathological case discussions with comprehensive reviews and continuing-education content.

The journal's rubrics include Bild des Monats (image of the month), presenting instructive histological findings such as granulomatous reactions or histological images of parotid tumours with diagnostic commentary, Kasuistiken (case reports), documenting interesting cases and unusual disease courses such as massive pancarditis, and Nachrufe (obituaries), honouring deceased members of the pathology community, from pioneers of quantitative stereology to leading nephropathologists. Lead themes address current questions of diagnostic pathology, from liver tumours and prostate pathology to legal and expert-opinion questions in the field, and recent issues have carried title images contributed by university pathology departments with the authors' permission.

The journal is aimed at pathologists in hospitals and private practice, as well as clinicians with an interest in pathological diagnostics. Its coverage spans vols 18/1997 to 47/2026 on the publisher's platform, reflecting nearly three decades of continuous digital archiving. It is indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded, Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus, giving its content international visibility within the biomedical literature.

History

The journal was founded in 1979 as Der Pathologe by Volker Becker, a leading figure of German pathology. Becker had observed that the great archival journals of German-language pathology had oriented themselves toward international basic research and English as the universal scientific language, a development he experienced as a loss for applied pathology and for the clinic-near individual pathology practiced at the autopsy table. The founding of a German-language journal for applied pathology was his answer: it was to be a forum for histopathological diagnostics and for the qualified further training of diagnosticians on a scientific basis, addressing the loneliness of the histopathological diagnostician and the pressing medical responsibility at the microscope.

The journal appeared from 1979/80 as Der Pathologe, subtitled "Pathologie und Klinik", as the organ of the German division of the International Academy of Pathology, the German, Austrian, and Swiss pathology societies, and the professional association of German pathologists. It was published every two months by Springer Medizin in Berlin and Heidelberg, a rhythm it has maintained throughout its history.

In May 2022, with volume 43, issue 3, the journal was renamed Die Pathologie as part of Springer Medizin's sweeping equality initiative, in which titles based on male professional designations were replaced with titles based on the medical disciplines. The rename followed the same wave that turned Der Anaesthesist into Die Anaesthesiologie, Der Chirurg into Die Chirurgie, Der Internist into Die Innere Medizin, Der Gynäkologe into Die Gynäkologie, Der Hautarzt into Die Dermatologie, Der Onkologe into Die Onkologie, Der Diabetologe into Die Diabetologie, Der Ophthalmologe into Die Ophthalmologie, Der Orthopäde into Die Orthopädie, Der Unfallchirurg into Die Unfallchirurgie, and Der Urologe into Die Urologie.

Coverage and Content

The journal covers the full spectrum of diagnostic and applied pathology: tumour pathology, gastrointestinal and liver pathology, uropathology, gynaecological pathology, dermatopathology, haematopathology, neuropathology, and transplant pathology, as well as the legal and expert-opinion questions that pathologists face in daily practice. Its scope reflects the central role of pathology in modern medicine, where the pathologist's diagnosis guides the treatment decisions of surgeons, oncologists, and internists across nearly every specialty. Lead themes have addressed liver tumours, prostate pathology, and the intersection of law and expert assessment in pathology, reflecting the journal's attention to both the diagnostic frontiers of the specialty and the legal framework in which pathologists work.

The Bild des Monats rubric presents instructive histological images with diagnostic commentary, while the Kasuistiken rubric documents interesting and instructive cases. The Nachrufe rubric honours deceased pathologists, reflecting the journal's role as a community organ for the German-speaking pathology world. The journal's content serves both the practicing diagnostician seeking guidance on current diagnostic questions and the pathology community's professional and collegial life. As the organ of four pathology societies and the professional association, it carries the official communications of these bodies alongside its scientific and educational content, making it a central forum for the German-speaking pathology world.

Organization and Ownership

Die Pathologie is published by Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, the medical publishing division of Springer Nature, headquartered in Berlin. It is the organ of the German division of the International Academy of Pathology, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Pathologie, the Austrian and Swiss pathology societies, and the Berufsverband Deutscher Pathologen, giving it an official standing within the German-speaking pathology community that few other journals in the field can claim.

The journal appears every two months, a rhythm that allows each issue to develop its lead themes and case content with the care that diagnostic pathology demands. Its print ISSN is 2731-7188 and its online ISSN is 2731-7196, and the German National Library guarantees the long-term archiving of both editions. Subscription and customer service are handled through the publisher's service centre, which manages subscriptions, address changes, and website access, and the editorial office can be contacted directly through the journal's page on the publisher's website, which also invites reader feedback.

Digital Presence

Die Pathologie is fully integrated into Springer Medizin's digital ecosystem. The journal's page on the publisher's website presents the current and recent issues with their lead themes and rubrics, from liver tumours to law and expert assessment, and articles are published with DOIs and available through Springer Nature Link, where they can be cited and downloaded. The platform's archive covers volumes 18/1997 through 47/2026, documenting the journal's recent decades under both its current and former titles.

Detailed information about the current editor-in-chief is not publicly confirmed from the sources consulted; the journal's editorial contacts are listed on the publisher's platform for authors and readers. The journal's digital identity lives within the Springer Medizin and Springer Nature Link platforms rather than on a standalone brand site, which is standard for the publisher's specialist journals. Whether the journal maintains dedicated social media channels is not publicly confirmed from the sources consulted, and its online presence remains centred on the publisher's platforms, which serve authors, readers, and institutional subscribers.