[Relationship of the clinician and the pathologist at the turn of the millennium].

The autopsy, once a fundamental and familiar component of medical practice based on the good cooperation of clinicians and pathologist, is now infrequently used. Recent data indicate that autopsies are performed only about one third of the cases in Hungary and less that 1 of 10 inpatients death in the united States. Explanation for this decrease is multifactorial, involving changing professional and patients attitudes, the advent of sophisticated antemortem diagnostic methods, socioeconomic factors, and medicolegal concerns as well. Teaching institutions need to reevaluate concerning the need and practice of the autopsy. "The final audit" not always reflect well on clinical diagnoses and management of patients. Many facts proves that our modern tools still not enough to reach always a correct and safe diagnoses. Errors are still common in medicine. About 10% of necropsies indicate a clinical managements different from what the patients received, 20% reveal additional diagnoses, and 60% of cases have teaching point. Though autopsy is expensive and time consuming, moreover the shortage of pathologist is evident, necropsy should remain the cornerstone of medicine in the new millennium as well. There are a broad range of different fields where pathologist and clinicians should work together in an everyday--setting--e.g. evaluate biopsy- or cytology-samples. Clinicopathological conferences are also important to discuss cases mainly for teaching purposes. Without maintaining the traditionally good cooperation neither clinicians nor pathologists will be able to give proper answers to the challenges and professional questions of the new era.