What does the term "pathology" encompass?

The term "pathology" encompasses the study of diseases and their effects on the body, making it essential for understanding how various conditions impact physiological functions and overall health. Pathology is a branch of medicine that examines the causes, development, and consequences of diseases, including their signs, symptoms, and progression. By exploring the processes of disease at cellular, tissue, and organ levels, pathology plays a crucial role in diagnostics, guiding treatment options, and informing prognosis.

The other options reflect different areas of medicine or health sciences. While treatment methodologies pertain to interventions and therapies, research on healthy human biology focuses on normal functions rather than diseases. The process of clinical diagnosis involves identifying diseases based on signs and symptoms; however, it does not encompass the broader study of diseases as a whole. Therefore, option B accurately captures the comprehensive nature of pathology.