Chapter 12: Endocrine System Pathology Terms

Question 1

acromegaly (ăk-rō-MĔG-ă-lē)

Answer 1

type of hyperpituitarism in which an overactive pituitary gland after adulthood causes abnormal continued growth of bones and tissues of the face and extremities

Question 2

Addison disease (ĂD-ĭ-sŭnz dĭ-ZĒZ)

Answer 2

illness characterized by gradual adrenal-gland failure, resulting in insufficient production of steroid hormones and the need for hormone replacement therapy; also called hypoadrenalism and adrenocortical insufficiency

Question 3

congenital hypothyroidism (kŏn-JĔN-ĭ-tăl hī-pō-THĪ-royd-ĭ-zum)

Answer 3

congenital condition of thyroid hormone deficiency, characterized by arrested physical and mental development; formerly called cretinism

Question 4

Cushing disease (KOOSH-ĭng dĭ-ZĒZ)

Answer 4

disorder caused by hypersecretion of cortisol by the adrenal gland, resulting in altered fat distribution and muscle weakness; also called hyperadrenocorticism, hypercortisolism and hyperadrenalism

Question 5

diabetes insipidus (dī-ă-BĒ-tēz ĭn-SĬP-ĭ-dŭs)

Answer 5

disorder unrelated to diabetes mellitus, characterized by excessive output of dilute urine

Question 6

diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (dī-ă-BĔT-ĭk kē-tō-ă-sĭ-DŌ-sĭs)

Answer 6

condition of severe hyperglycemia

Question 7

diabetes mellitus (DM) (dī-ă-BĒ-tēz mĕl-Ī-tŭs)

Answer 7

chronic metabolic disorder in which the pancreas secretes insufficient amounts of insulin or the body is insulin resistant

Question 8

dwarfism (DWĂRF-i-zum)

Answer 8

hyposecretion of growth hormone during childhood, resulting in an abnormally small adult

Question 9

exophthalmos (ĕks-ŏf-THĂL-mōs)

Answer 9

abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs

Question 10

gestational diabetes (jĕs-TĀ-shŭn-ăl dī-ă-BĒ-tēz)

Answer 10

diabetes that begins during pregnancy due to insulin resistance and altered glucose metabolism

Question 11

giantism (Jī-ăn-tĭ-zum)

Answer 11

type of hyperpituitarism that causes hypersecretion of growth hormone during childhood, resulting in an abnormally large adult

Question 12

goiter (GOY-tĕr)

Answer 12

enlarged thyroid gland

Question 13

Graves disease (grāvz dĭ-ZĒZ)

Answer 13

hyperthyroidism caused by an autoimmune response, which may cause exophthalmos; also called thyrotoxicosis

Question 14

Hashimoto thyroiditis (hă-shē-MŌ-tōz thī-roy-DĪ-tĭs)

Answer 14

chronic, inflammatory condition that leads to the most common type of thyroiditis; also called chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis and autoimmune thyroiditis

Question 15

hirsutism (HŬR-sūt-ĭ-zum)

Answer 15

male pattern of body-hair development in females

Question 16

hyperaldosteronism (hī-pĕr-ăl-dō-STĔR-ōn-ĭ-zum)

Answer 16

condition in which the adrenal glands release excessive aldosterone; also called Conn’s syndrome

Question 17

hyperparathyroidism (hī-pĕr-păr-ă-THĪ-royd-ĭ-zum)

Answer 17

condition in which the parathyroid glands produce an excessive amount of parathyroid hormone (PTH)

Question 18

hypoparathyroidism (hī-pō-păr-ă-THĪ-royd-ĭ-zum)

Answer 18

condition in which the parathyroid glands are hypoactive and as a result the level of parathyroid hormones (PTH) is too low

Question 19

myxedema (mĭks-ĕ-DĒ-mă)

Answer 19

severe form of hypothyroidism that develops in the older child or adult, causing nonpitting edema in connective tissue

Question 20

nondiabetic hypoglycemia (nŏn-dī-ă-BĔT-ĭk hī-pō-glī-SĒ-mē-ă)

Answer 20

condition in which a nondiabetic person experiences mild symptoms associated with low blood glucose

Question 21

panhypopituitarism (păn-hī-pō-pĭ-TŪ-ĭ-tăr-ĭ-zum)

Answer 21

condition resulting from diminished secretion of pituitary hormones; also called underactive pituitary gland

Question 22

pheochromocytoma (fē-ō-krō-mō-sī-TŌ-mă)

Answer 22

tumor of the adrenal medulla (central part of the adrenal gland), usually benign but sometimes causing fluctuation of stress hormones like adrenaline

Question 23

pituitary dwarfism (pĭ-TŪ-ĭ-tār-ē dwărf-ĭ-zum)

Answer 23

type of hypopituitarism in which reduced growth and development occur due to deficiency of growth hormone in childhood

Question 24

polydipsia (pŏl-ē-DĬP-sē-ă)

Answer 24

much (increased) thirst

Question 25

polyphagia (pŏl-ē-FĀ-jē-ā)

Answer 25

much (increased) appetite

Question 26

polyuria (pŏl-ē-Ū-rē-ā)

Answer 26

much (increased) urination

Question 27

precocious puberty (prē-KŌ-shŭs PŪ-bĕr-tē)

Answer 27

premature onset of puberty with the appearance of secondary sex characteristics in young children

Question 28

retinopathy (rĕt-ĭn-ŎP-ă-thē)

Answer 28

disease of the retina, often caused by diabetes

Question 29

thyrotoxicosis (thī-rō-tŏks-ĭ-KŌ-sĭs)

Answer 29

severe episode of worsening symptoms of hyperthyroidism