Glossary Terms Flashcards
1
Q
Abscess
A
localized accumulation of pus
2
Q
Acquired
A
a disease, condition or abnormality that is not hereditary or innate
3
Q
Acromegaly
A
hyperfunction of pituitary gland after ossification has been completed
4
Q
Acute
A
a disease with rapid onset and short duration
5
Q
Allergy
A
having a hypersensitive immune response to a foreign substance
6
Q
Amelia
A
congenital absence of one or more limbs
7
Q
Anasarca
A
generalized edema in subcutaneous tissue
8
Q
Amemia
A
a decrease in the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin or both
9
Q
Aneurysm
A
a localized dilation of a blood vessel
10
Q
Aplasia
A
failure of a tissue or an organ to develop normally
11
Q
Arteriosclerosis
A
disease of the arteries resulting in thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls
12
Q
Ascites
A
accumulation of free serous fluid in the abdominal cavity
13
Q
Atherosclerosis
A
a form of arteriosclerosis marked by the deposition of lipids in the inner layer of arterial walls
14
Q
Atrophy
A
a wasting; decrease in size of an organ or tissue
15
Q
Autopsy (postmortem examination)
A
a postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body to determine cause of death or pathological condition
16
Q
Cachexia
A
a general state of ill health associated with emaciation
17
Q
Carbuncle
A
several communicating boils of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with the production and discharge of pus and dead tissue
18
Q
Cavitation
A
formation of cavities in an organ or tissue; frequently seen in some forms of tuberculosis
19
Q
Chronic
A
a disease with a slow onset and long duration
20
Q
Cleft palate
A
congenitally malformed palate with a fissure along the midline
21
Q
Clinical pathology
A
pathology that uses clinical analysis and other laboratory procedures in the diagnosis and treatment of disease
22
Q
Communicable
A
disease that may be transmitted either directly or indirectly between individuals by an infectious agent
23
Q
Complication
A
an unfavorable condition arising during the course of disease
24
Q
Concussion
A
the immediate and temporary disturbance of brain function as a result of trauma
25
Congenital
existing at the time of birth or shortly thereafter
26
Congestion
accumulation of an excess of blood or tissue fluid in a body part
27
Contusion
a bruise often accompanied with swelling
28
Cretinism
congenital hypothyroidism resulting in developmental disabilities
29
Cryptorchism (Cryptorchidism)
failure of the testicles to descend into the scrotum
30
Cyanosis
bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membrane due to lack of oxygen
31
Cyst
a closed sac or pouch with a definite wall that contains fluid, semi-fluid or solid material
32
Deficiency
a condition due to lack of dietary or metabolic substance
33
Degeneration
the deterioration of tissues with corresponding functional impairment as a result of
disease or injury
34
Dehydration
loss of moisture from body tissue
35
Diagnosis
the term denoting the identification of a disease or syndrome; to recognize the nature of a disease
36
Dilatation (Dilation)
the condition of the heart being enlarged due to stretching as a result of disease
37
Dry gangrene (Ischemic necrosis)
necrotic tissue due to a reduction in arterial blood supply to a body part that remains aseptic
38
Dysplasia
abnormal development of tissue
39
Ecchymosis
superficial bleeding under the skin or a mucous membrane: a bruise
40
Ectopic pregnancy
implantation of a fertilized ovum outside of the uterus
41
Edema
abnormal accumulation of fluids in tissue or body cavities
42
Emaciation
excessive wasting away of the body
43
Embolism
the sudden obstruction of a blood vessel by debris
44
Empyema
a collection of pus in a body cavity, especially the pleural space
45
Endemic
a disease that is continuously present in a given population
46
Epidemic
higher than normal appearance of an infectious disease or condition within a given population
47
Epilepsy
a chronic neurogenic disease marked by sudden alterations in consciousness and frequently by convulsions
48
Epistaxis
bleeding from the nose
49
Erythrocytosis
an increase in the number of red blood cells
50
Etiology
the study of the cause of disease
51
Exacerbation
increase in severity of a disease
52
Exsanguination
loss of blood to the point where life may no longer be sustained
53
Exudate
any fluid released from the body with a high concentration of protein, cells, or solid debris
54
Febrile
pertaining to or characterized by fever
55
Fulminating
having rapid and severe onset, usually fatal
56
Furuncle
an abscess or pyogenic infection of a sweat gland or hair follicle
57
General pathology
deals with the study of the widespread processes of disease such as inflammation, degeneration, necrosis or premature cellular death, repair, etc without reference to particular organs or organ systems
58
Goiter
enlargement of the thyroid gland
59
Gross pathology
study of changes in structure of the body that are readily seen with the unaided eye as a result of disease
60
Hematemesis
vomiting of blood
61
Hematoma
tumor-like swelling of blood
62
Hematuria
blood in the urine
63
Hemophilia
a hereditary bleeding disorder marked by a deficiency of blood-clotting proteins
64
Hemoptysis
blood in sputum
65
Hemorrhage
escape of blood from the vascular system
66
Hereditary
genetic characteristics transmitted from parent to offspring
67
Hernia
abnormal protrusion of part of an organ or tissue through a weak spot in the wall that normally contains it
68
Hydrocele
abnormal collection of fluid in any sacculated cavity in the body
69
Hydrocephalus
excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain
70
Hydronephrosis
distention of the renal pelvis with urine as a result of obstruction
71
Hydropericardium
abnormal accumulation of fluid within the pericardial sac
72
Hydrothorax
abnormal accumulation of fluid in the thoracic cavity
73
Hyperemia
excess of blood in an area of the body
74
Hyperplasia
the increase size of an organ or tissue due to the excessive but regulated increase in
the number of its cells
75
Hypertrophy
the enlargement of an organ or structure due to the increase in size of cells composing it
76
Hypoplasia
underdevelopment of a tissue, organ or the body
77
Iatrogenic
any injury or illness that occurs as a result of medical care
78
Idiopathic
of unknown cause
79
Infarction
death of tissue due to a lack of blood supply
80
Infection
a disease caused by microorganisms, especially those that release toxins or invade body tissues
81
Infestation
the presence in or on the body of macroscopic organisms
82
Infiltration
the passage and accumulation of a substance into cells, tissues, or organs
83
Inflammation
a tissue reaction to irritation, infection, or injury marked by localized heat, swelling, redness, pain and sometimes loss of function
84
Intoxication
the state of being poisoned by a drug or toxic substance
85
Ischemia
reduction in arterial blood supply
86
Jaundice
yellowish discoloration of the tissues due to the presence of bile pigments in the blood
87
Lesion
a circumscribed area of pathologically altered tissue; an injury or wound
88
Leukemia
a malignancy of the hematopoietic tissues characterized by a massive increase in the number of white blood cells present in the body
89
Leukocytosis
increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood
90
Leukopenia
abnormal reduction in the number of white blood cells in the blood
91
Lymphoma
malignancy of lymphoid tissue
92
Malformation (Anomaly)
a defect or deformity
93
Medicolegal (Forensic) pathology
study of disease to ascertain cause and manner of death
94
Melena
blood in stool
95
Metaplasia
replacement of one type of tissue into a form that is not normally found there
96
Metastasis
transfer of a disease from its primary site to a distant location
97
Microscopic pathology (Histopathology)
study of microscopic changes that cells, tissues and organs undergo as a result of disease
98
Moist gangrene
necrotic tissue resulting from inadequate venous drainage accompanied by the invasion of saprophytic bacteria
99
Morbidity rate
the number of cases per year of certain diseases in relation to the population in which they occur
100
Mortality rate
number of deaths in a given time or place or proportion of deaths to a population
101
Necrosis
pathological death of cells, tissues and organs while still a part of the living organism
102
Neoplasm
the abnormal, excessive and uncontrolled multiplication of cells with the formation of a mass or new growth of tissue
103
Nosocomial
infection acquired in a healthcare setting
104
Occupational disease
a disease related to one’s working conditions
105
Osteomalacia
abnormal softening of bones in adults
106
Osteomyelitis
inflammation of bone and bone marrow
107
Osteoporosis
loss of bone density
108
Pandemic disease
widespread epidemic, possibly worldwide
109
Pathological anatomy
study of structural changes in the body caused by disease
110
Pathology
the science that deals with the study of disease
111
Pathogenesis
the origin and development of a disease
112
Petechia
antemortem, pinpoint, extravascular blood discoloration visible as purplish 6 hemorrhages
of the skin
113
Phocomelia
congenital condition in which the proximal portions of the limbs are poorly developed or absent
114
Physiological pathology
study of functional changes in the body as a result of disease
115
Pigmentation
normal or pathological coloration of skin or tissues
116
Pneumoconiosis
infiltration of the lungs with various forms of dust
117
Pneumonia
inflammation of the lungs due to infection
118
Poliomyelitis
inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord as a result of a viral infection
119
Polyp
a growth or mass of tissue that protrudes from a mucous membrane
120
Prevalence
number of cases of disease present in a specified population at a given time
121
Prognosis
prediction of the outcome of disease
122
Prostatitis
inflammation of the prostate gland
123
Purpura
condition in which spontaneous bleeding occurs in the subcutaneous tissues, causing the
appearance of purple patches on the skin
124
Pustule
a small elevation of the skin containing pus
125
Recurrent
reappearance of symptoms after a period of remission
126
Regeneration
the replacement of damaged cells with normal cells of the same type
127
Remission
a cessation of the symptoms of disease
128
Repair
the replacement of damaged tissue with fibrous connective tissue
129
Resolution
the termination of the inflammatory response with the affected part returning to homeostasis
130
Rickets
a disease of infants and young children caused by deficiency of vitamin D resulting in defective bone growth
131
Signs
objective indications of the presence of disease
132
Special pathology
deals with the specific features of disease in relation to particular organs or organ systems
133
Spina bifida
congenital defect in which part of the vertebral column is absent or there is incomplete closure
134
Sporadic
disease that occurs in a random or isolated manner
135
Stenosis
abnormal constriction of a passageway or orifice
136
Symptoms
subjective indications of the presence of disease
137
Syndrome
set of signs and symptoms associated with a particular disease
138
Thrombosis
the formation or presence of an attached blood clot
139
Ulcer
an open sore or lesion of skin or mucous membrane accompanied by sloughing of inflamed necrotic tissue
140
Uremia
a toxic condition caused by retention in the blood of waste products normally excreted in the urine
141
Valvular insufficiency (Incompetence)
failure of a heart valve to close tightly, thus allowing regurgitation of blood
142
Vesicle
blister-like elevation of skin containing serous fluid
