diagnosis and treatment terms Flashcards
clubbing
Enlargement of the ends of the fingers and toes because of soft-tissue growth of the nails; seen in a variety of diseases, especially lung and heart diseases
colic
Acute abdominal pain associated with smooth muscle spasms
cyanosis
si-ah-NO-sis
Bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of oxygen
diaphoresis
di-ah-fo-RE-sis
Profuse sweating
malaise
mah-LAZE
A feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, often indicative of infection or other disease (from French, meaning “discomfort,” using the prefix mal-, meaning “bad”)
nocturnal
nok-TUR-nal
Pertaining to or occurring at night (roots noct/i and nyct/o mean “night”)
pallor
PAL-or
Paleness, lack of color
prodrome
PRO-drome
A symptom indicating an approaching disease
sequela
seh-KWEL-ah
A lasting effect of a disease (plural: sequelae)
syncope
SIN-ko-pe
A temporary loss of consciousness because of inadequate blood flow to the brain, fainting
alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)
AL-fah-fe-to-PRO-tene
A fetal protein that appears in the blood of adults with certain types of cancer
bruit
A sound, usually abnormal, heard in auscultation
facies
FA-she-eze
The expression or appearance of the face
febrile
FEB-ril
Pertaining to fever
nuclear medicine
The branch of medicine concerned with the use of radioactive substances (radionuclides) for diagnosis, therapy, and research
radiology
ra-de-OL-o-je
The branch of medicine that uses radiation, such as x-rays, in the diagnosis and treatment of disease; a specialist in this field is a radiologist
radionuclide
ra-de-o-NU-klide
A substance that gives off radiation; used for diagnosis and treatment; also called radioisotope or radiopharmaceutical
speculum
SPEK-u-lum
An instrument for examining a canal
syndrome
SIN-drome
A group of signs and symptoms that together characterize a disease condition
clysis
KLI-sis
The introduction of fluid into the body, other than orally, as into the rectum or abdominal cavity; also refers to the solution thus used
irrigation
ir-ih-GA-shun
Flushing of a tube, cavity, or area with a fluid
lavage
lah-VAJ
The washing out of a cavity, irrigation
normal saline (NS)
A salt (NaCl) solution compatible with living cells, also called physiologic saline solution (PSS)
paracentesis
par-ah-sen-TE-sis
Puncture of a cavity for removal of fluid