#PathArt: Where Pathology Meets Art

If you are a follower of pathology social media, it is likely that you have encountered the hashtag #PathArt attached to photographs, paintings, drawings, and various other creative works by pathologists. You may have wondered what is #PathArt and why has it become famous in recent years?

In simple terms, #PathArt is art inspired by Pathology. The most prevalent form of #PathArt is probably photography, like these pictures of an atypical mitotic figure resembling a snowflake posted by @ErbagciAhmet on X , or this collection curated by Dr. Nathan Swailes of histologic images resembling hearts. Many #PathArtists share their works on social media, and a few such as @MeredithKHerman, @lamellipodium, and @path_girl88 on X, actually sell beautiful #PathArt they create.

There are several #PathArt competitions that encourage pathologists to share their work. #PathArt contests have been held locally within several pathology departments, including Houston Methodist Hospital where I trained and currently work. The Turkish Journal of Pathology has held #PathArt competitions since 2018. The Art of Pathology Competition held by the Royal College of Pathologists of the UK has featured creative works using various mediums and representing pathology themes. Arkana Labs held an “Art of Medicine” competition in 2022 and posted the winners online.

Print publications have also been dedicated to #PathArt, such as the CAP publication, The Healing Art of Pathology by Dr. Marilyn M. Bui and Dr. Katherine A. Galagan, which features Art by pathologists, health care professionals, as well as by patients and their families. The Pathologist Magazine has featured an annual image issue featuring #PathArt from various artists.

With the wide array of #PathArtists and the numerous media featuring their work, it is not very surprising that #PathArt has become popular enough to create over 50,000 impressions on X in a week, according to a TweetBinder search.

I am proud to say that I am part of the #PathArt community. Creating #PathArt gives me great joy and is a welcome relief in my day to busy practice. My particular type of #PathArt consists of photomicrography during my daily practice as a surgical pathologist portraying histology through careful composition and digital enhancement. Perhaps the most notable of my #PathArt images is an image of colonic crypts in cross section winning 15th place in the Nikon Small World International Photomicrography Competition in 2022. My winning image was subsequently featured in articles in Smithsonian Magazine and National Geographic Magazine, amongst various other media outlets covering the competition.

And this year, the College of American Pathologists will hold its own #PathArt Contest. If you would like to participate complete the submission form. The contest is open exclusively to CAP members and must be submitted by Saturday, August 31, 2024. The Digital Content Committee will select the top 10 finalists whose art will be presented at the CAP24 Annual Meeting. Registrants will vote to decide the top three images and the three winners will be announced during the meeting and shared via CAP social media channels.

Ziad M. El-Zaatari, MD, is a surgical pathologist specializing in GU and medical renal pathology at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. Dr. El-Zaatari is past Vice Chair and currently serves as Advisor on the College of American Pathologists’ Digital Content Committee. He can be found on Twitter as @ziad_zaatari.