Endocrinology Vocabulary

Question 1

acromegaly

Answer 1

Chronic condition developing in adults with excessive growth hormone; results in elongation and enlargement of bones of head and extremities

Question 2

adrenal feminization

Answer 2

Development of female secondary sexual characteristics (such as breasts) in male as result of increased estrogen secretion by adrenal cortex

Question 3

adrenal virilism

Answer 3

Development of male secondary sexual characteristics (such as deeper voice and facial hair) in female as result of increased androgen secretion by adrenal cortex

Question 4

diabetes mellitus (DM)

Answer 4

Chronic disorder of sugar metabolism;

Question 5

dwarfism

Answer 5

Being excessively short in height; can result from lack of growth hormone

Question 6

exophthalmos

Answer 6

Condition in which eyeballs protrude, such as in graves disease; commonly caused by hyper-secretion of thyroid hormones

Question 7

fasting blood sugar

Answer 7

Blood test to measure amount of sugar in bloodstream after a 12-hour fast

Question 8

gigantism

Answer 8

Excessive growth of body due to hyper-secretion of growth hormone in a child or teenager

Question 9

goiter

Answer 9

Enlargement of the thyroid gland

Question 10

hormone replacement therapy

Answer 10

Artificial replacement of hormones in patients with hypo-secretion disorders;

Question 11

insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)

Answer 11

Also called type 1 diabetes mellitus; tends to develop early in life; pancreas stops producing insulin; can be autoimmune disease; patient must take insulin injections

Question 12

noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)

Answer 12

Also called type 2 diabetes mellitus; typically develops later in life; pancreas produces normal to high levels of insulin but cells fail to respond; patients can take medication to improve insulin function

Question 13

tetany

Answer 13

Nerve irritability and painful muscle cramps resulting from hypocalcemia; hypoparathyroidism is one cause

Question 14

thyroid function test (TFT)

Answer 14

Blood test to measure levels of thyroxine, triiodothyronine, and thyroid-stimulating hormone in the bloodstream to evaluate thyroid function

Question 15

thyroid scan

Answer 15

Test in which radioactive iodine is administered and localizes in the thyroid gland; gland is visualized with scanning device; able to detect thyroid gland tumors