Genitourinary Disorders

Question 1

Albuminuria

Answer 1

The presence in the urine of serum albumin, the chief protein constituent of human blood plasma

Question 2

Allograft

Answer 2

The transplant graft performed between two genetically different people.

Question 3

Anasarca

Answer 3

Generalized massive edema

Question 4

Anorexia

Answer 4

Lack of or loss of appetite for food

Question 5

Anuria (anuresis)

Answer 5

Absence of excretion of urine from the body

Question 6

Azotemia

Answer 6

An excess of urea or other nitrogenous substances in the blood (evaluate creatinine) generally due to abnormal kidney function

Question 7

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

Answer 7

One of the nonprotein nitrogenous compounds of blood plasma; measure of kidney function

Question 8

Corticosteroids

Answer 8

Any of the steroids produced by the adrenal cortex, including cortisol, corticosterone, and their synthetic equivalents, used as immunosuppressive agents.

Question 9

Creatinine

Answer 9

A normal product of muscle metabolism; level of which in blood is an index of level of kidney function

Question 10

Creatinine clearance test

Answer 10

A test for kidney function based on the rate at which creatinine is excreted by the kidney. The measure of its excretion from the kidney provides a more reliable marker of kidney function than the BUN

Question 11

Cylindruria

Answer 11

Presence of casts in urine. The casts are formed from gelled protein precipitated in the renal tubules and molded to the tubular lumen; pieces of these casts break off and are washed out with the urine

Question 12

Cystectomy

Answer 12

Partial or complete surgical removal of the urinary bladder

Question 13

Cysto

Answer 13

Referring to the urinary bladder

Question 14

Cystoscope

Answer 14

A tube-like instrument containing lenses for viewing the interior of the bladder, entering through the urethra

Question 15

Diastolic hypertension

Answer 15

Elevation of the diastolic blood pressure (bottom number)

Question 16

Dysuria

Answer 16

Painful or difficult urination

Question 17

Edema

Answer 17

Collection of fluid in the tissues; swelling

Question 18

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)

Answer 18

An estimate of the filtering capacity of the kidneys that takes into account serum creatinine concentration and other variables, such as age, gender, and body size

Question 19

Fluid overload syndrome

Answer 19

Occurs when there is excessive sodium and water retention in the body that cannot be adequately removed by diseased kidneys. Symptoms and signs of vascular congestion may include fatigue, shortness of breath, hypertension, congestive heart failure, ascites, pleural effusions and peripheral edema

Question 20

Glomerulonephritis

Answer 20

Kidney disease in which the glomerular tuft (Bowman’s capsule) becomes inflamed. The glomerular membranes become extremely porous, allowing both protein and blood cells to flow freely into the nephron tubules. Occasionally, episodes of acute glomerulonephritis permanently destroy nephron capsules. Repeated small bouts may destroy more and more nephrons, causing chronic glomerulonephritis.

Question 21

Hematuria

Answer 21

Blood in the urine

Question 22

Hemodialysis

Answer 22

The removal of toxic metabolic byproducts from the blood by diffusion in an artificial kidney machine (hemodialyzer)

Question 23

Hemodialyzer

Answer 23

An apparatus that forces the affected individual’s blood through semipermeable tubes immersed in fluid. Urea and other metabolic byproducts diffuse from the blood into the surrounding fluids; performing limited kidney function. Blood must be anticoagulated during dialysis

Question 24

Hunner’s ulcers

Answer 24

A lesion involving all layers of the bladder wall, seen in chronic interstitial cystitis

Question 25

Hydronephrosis

Answer 25

A disorder of the kidneys in which the ureter becomes obstructed (kidney stone, inflammation, fibrosis, etc.) causing the kidney to become distended by the accumulated urine. Prolonged distention can cause atrophy of nephrons, with residual reduction or loss of kidney function.

Question 26

Immunosuppressive agents

Answer 26

Agents that block the body’s effort to reject foreign bodies or tissues; used especially in organ transplantations

Question 27

Isograft

Answer 27

Tissue or organ transplanted between genetically identical individuals, also known as syngraft

Question 28

Kidney

Answer 28

Either of the two organs in the lumbar region that filter the blood of toxic metabolic byproducts excreted as urine; also regulates the concentration of electrolytes (hydrogen, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, etc.) in the blood

Question 29

Kidney failure

Answer 29

Severe renal insufficiency, generally accompanied by signs and symptoms of uremia.

Question 30

Lithotripsy

Answer 30

A treatment for kidney stones in which acoustic shock waves are used to disintegrate renal calculi

Question 31

Nephrectomy

Answer 31

Surgical removal of a kidney

Question 32

Nephritis

Answer 32

Inflammation of the kidney; may be localized or diffuse and may involve the glomeruli, tubules, or the interstitial kidney tissues

Question 33

Nephrolithiasis

Answer 33

A condition marked by the presence of renal calculi ( kidney stones)

Question 34

Nephron

Answer 34

The functioning filtering unit of the kidney, consisting of the glomerulus (Bowman’s capsule) and uriniferous tubule. The two kidneys contain approximately two million nephrons and approximately 3/4 of these nephrons can be destroyed before blood composition becomes excessively abnormal.

Question 35

Nephrosclerosis

Answer 35

Sclerosis (hardening) of the vascular arteries, arterioles and sometimes, the capillaries of the kidney; the form of “end-organ” damage due to hypertension.

Question 36

Nephrosis

Answer 36

A generic term for any disease of the kidney characterized by degenerative lesions of the renal tubules and/or glomeruli; generally used synonymously with the term, “nephrotic syndrome”.

Question 37

Nephrotic syndrome

Answer 37

A generalized name of a group of diseases involving defective kidney glomeruli, characterized by proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and varying degrees of edema A condition of chronic renal disease characterized by edema, proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidema

Question 38

Nocturia

Answer 38

Excessive frequency of urination at night

Question 39

Pathologic fractures

Answer 39

Fractures resulting from sealing of the bone structure by pathologic processes such as osteomalacia and osteoporosis

Question 40

Peritoneal dialysis

Answer 40

The removal of toxic metabolic byproducts from the blood by diffusion (via a dialyzing solution) which takes place inside the abdominal cavity. The dialyzing solution is infused into, and removed from, the abdominal cavity on either a continuous or an intermittent basis

Question 41

Polycystic kidney disease

Answer 41

A hereditary, congenital condition characterized by multiple cysts of both kidneys

Question 42

Polydipsia

Answer 42

Excessive thirst, persisting for long periods of time

Question 43

Polyuria

Answer 43

Excessive discharge of urine

Question 44

Proteinuria

Answer 44

The presence of excess protein in the urine

Question 45

Pyuria

Answer 45

The presence of pus in the urine

Question 46

Rejection crisis

Answer 46

Severe immune reaction of the body against grafted tissues, in which the body’s defense mechanisms (antibodies, white blood cells, platelets, fibrin, etc.,) attack the foreign tissue and cause failure of the graft; usually accompanied by pain and swelling

Question 47

Renal calculus (kidney stones)

Answer 47

A solidified deposit developing in the kidney, usually composed of mineral salts (calcium, oxalates, uric acid, ammonium magnesium, phosphates, cholesterol) And occurring in a variety of sizes and shapes; may be single or multiple

Question 48

Renal

Answer 48

Pertaining to the kidney

Question 49

Renal insufficiency

Answer 49

Abnormal (decreased) kidney function, ranging from mild to severe

Question 50

Serum albumin

Answer 50

A major plasma protein that is responsible for much of the plasma colloidal osmotic pressure of the blood and serves as a transport protein

Question 51

Stricture (ureteral, urethral)

Answer 51

Abnormal narrowing (of the urethra or the ureter) due to fibrosis or the deposit of abnormal tissue

Question 52

Urea

Answer 52

The chief nitrogenous constituent of urine and the chief nitrogenous end product of the metabolism of proteins. It is a major route for removal of the ammonia produced in the metabolism of amino acids in the liver and kidney

Question 53

Uremia

Answer 53

The retention in the blood of excessive byproducts of protein metabolism and of potassium, which produce a toxic condition marked by nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, dimness of vision, coma or convulsions, and a fetid odor of breath; results of nephron failure to adequately excrete urea and other protein byproducts

Question 54

Ureter

Answer 54

The bilateral membranous canals conducting urine from the kidneys to the bladder

Question 55

Urethra

Answer 55

The membranous canal conducting urine from the bladder outside the body

Question 56

Uria

Answer 56

A suffix denoting a characteristic or constituent of the urine

Question 57

Urinary tract

Answer 57

Those organs and ducts that participate in the secretion and elimination of urine; I.e., the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra

Question 58

Urine

Answer 58

The fluid excreted by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and discharged by the urethra. Healthy urine is 96% water and 4% solutes

Question 59

Urine total-protein-to-creatinine ratio

Answer 59

A laboratory calculation based on total protein and creatinine in a urine sample.