pathology

Question 1

clinical laboratory science

Answer 1

healthcare profession concerned with collecting samples and performing test to analyze blood, body fluids, tissues, and other substances to determine health or disease; also called medical laboratory science; professionals are clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) and technician (CLT) or medical technologist (MT) and laboratory technician (MLT) depending on credentials

Question 2

hematology

Answer 2

branch of medicine specializing in treatment of diseases and conditions of blood; physician is hematologist

Question 3

phlebotomy

Answer 3

involves puncture of (cutting into) a vein in order to remove blood for diagnostic test; also called venipuncture; healthcare professional is phlebotomist

Question 4

acidosis

Answer 4

abnormal condition where pH of blood is too low (too acidic); may be caused by buildup of acids in the body or a loss of the bodies buffers responsible for stabilizing pH

Question 5

alkalosis

Answer 5

abnormal condition where pH of blood is too high (too alkaline); may be caused by buildup of buffers in the body or the loss of acids (excessive vomiting of stomach acid)

Question 6

coagulate

Answer 6

to convert from a liquid to a gel or solid, as in blood coagulation

Question 7

dyscrasia

Answer 7

General term indicating an abnormal condition affecting blood

Question 8

hematoma

Answer 8

Collection (mass) of blood under skin as a result of blood escaping into tissue from damaged blood vessels; commonly referred to as bruise

Question 9

hemorrhage

Answer 9

Abnormal flow of blood out of blood vessel (bleeding)

Question 10

thrombus

Answer 10

hard collection of fibrin, blood cells, and tissue debris that is end result of hemostasis or blood-clotting process; thrombus is helpful to body by stopping bleeding, as in skin laceration; however, it is hurtful to body if it occurs within a blood vessel, as in myocardial infarction; commonly referred to as a blood clot

Question 11

hemophilia

Answer 11

hereditary blood disease in which blood clotting time is prolonged due to lack of one vital clotting factor; transmitted by sex-linked traits from females to males, appearing most exclusively in males

Question 12

pancytopenia

Answer 12

having too few of all cells

Question 13

septicemia

Answer 13

blood condition of having bacteria or toxins in bloodstream (infection); sepsis is term that means putrefaction or infection; commonly referred to as blood poisoning

Question 14

anemia

Answer 14

large group of blood conditions characterized by reduction in number (without) a red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in blood; results in less oxygen reaching tissues

Question 15

aplastic anemia

Answer 15

Severe form of anemia that develops as a consequence of red bone marrow failing to form enough blood cells; results in decrease in number of all formed elements; treatment may eventually require bone marrow transplant

Question 16

erythrocytosis

Answer 16

condition of having more than normal number of red blood cells

Question 17

erythropenia

Answer 17

condition of having too few red blood cells

Question 18

hemolytic anemia

Answer 18

anemia that develops as result of destruction of erythrocytes

Question 19

hemolytic disease of the newborn

Answer 19

condition developing in baby when mother‘s blood type is Rh-negative and baby’s blood type is RH positive; antibodies in mother‘s blood enter fetus’ bloodstream through placenta and destroy fetus’ red blood cells, causing anemia, jaundice, and enlargement of liver and spleen; treatment is early diagnosis and blood transfusion; also called erythroblastosis fetalis

Question 20

hemolytic reaction

Answer 20

destruction of patient’s erythrocytes that occurs when receiving a transfusion of incompatible blood type; also called transfusion reaction

Question 21

hypochromic anemia

Answer 21

anemia, resulting from having insufficient hemoglobin in erythrocytes; named because hemoglobin molecule is responsible for dark red color of erythrocyte

Question 22

iron-deficiency anemia

Answer 22

anemia resulting from not having sufficient iron to manufacture hemoglobin

Question 23

pernicious anemia

Answer 23

anemia associated with insufficient absorption of vitamin B12 by digestive system; vitamin B 12 is necessary for erythrocyte production

Question 24

polycythemia vera

Answer 24

condition of producing too many red blood cells by bone marrow; blood becomes too thick to easily flow through blood vessels

Question 25

sickle cell anemia

Answer 25

genetic blood condition in which erythrocytes take on abnormal curved or “sickle” shape; cells are fragile and are easily damaged, leading to hemolytic anemia

Question 26

thalassemia

Answer 26

genetic blood condition in which body is unable to make functioning hemoglobin, resulting in anemia

Question 27

leukemia

Answer 27

Cancerous blood condition located in red bone marrow tissue responsible for producing white blood cells; results in large number of abnormal and immature leukocytes circulating in bloodstream

Question 28

leukocytosis

Answer 28

condition of having more than normal number of white blood cells

Question 29

leukopenia

Answer 29

condition of having too few white blood cells

Question 30

lymphocytic leukemia

Answer 30

type of leukemia in which abnormal white blood cells are lymphocytes; may be acute (rapid onset and progression) or chronic (slow onset and progression)

Question 31

myeloid leukemia

Answer 31

type of leukemia in which abnormal leukocytes are granulocytes (usually neutrophils); maybe acute (rapid onset and progression) or chronic (slow onset and progression)

Question 32

thrombocytopenia

Answer 32

condition of having too few platelets (clotting cells)

Question 33

thrombocytosis

Answer 33

condition of having more than normal number of platelets