Pathology Glossary Flashcards
Prefix meaning without or not
A
Decrease in, such as in pain
Abatement
An excoriation, a circumscribed removal of the epidermis of skin or mucous membrane
Abrasion
Localized accumulation of pus
Abscess
A marked decrease in blood carbon dioxide content
Acapnia
Condition in which there is an excessive proportion of acid in the blood
Acidosis
Presents itself after birth
Acquired
A disease which is not congenital, but has developed since birth
Acquired Disease
Prefix meaning extremity
Acro
Hyperfunction of pituitary gland after ossification has been completed
Acromegaly
A disease with a more or less rapid onset and short duration
Acute
Prefix meaning gland
Adeno
A neoplasm formed by glandular epithelium
Adenoma
Suffix meaning pain
Algia
Condition in which there is an excessive proportion of alkali in the blood
Alkalosis
Having a hypersensitivity to a substance that does not normally cause a reaction
Allergies
A pre-senile dementia occurring usually in persons over 60 years of age; thought to be associated with neurofibril degeneration
Alzheimer’s Disease
Congenital absence of one or more limbs
Amelia
Prefix meaning without
An
Generalized massive edema in subcutaneous tissue
Anasarca
A decrease in the number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin, or both
Anemia
A localized dilation of a blood vessel
Aneurysm
Suffix meaning vessel
Angio
A swelling or tumor due to dilatation of the blood vessels (hemangioma) or lymphatics (lymphangioma)
Angioma
Deficient blood oxygen supplies to tissues
Anoxia
Congenital absence of an organ or other part. In hematology, incomplete or defective development or a cessation of regeneration
Aplasia
Suffix meaning enzyme
Ase
Mutual opposition or contrary action. The inhibition of one bacterial organism by another
Antagonism
Prefix meaning before
Ante
Prefix meaning against
Anti
Glycoprotein substance developed in response to, and interacting specifically with an antigen AKA immunoglobulin
Antibody
A foreign substance that stimulates the formation of antibodies that interact specifically with it
Antigen
The prevention of sepsis by preventing or inhibiting the growth of causative microorganisms
Antisepsis
Dilution or weakening of virulence of a microorganism, reducing or abolishing pathogenicity
Attenuation
Failure of a tissue or an organ to develop normally
Aplasia
Disease of the arteries resulting in thickening and loss of elasticity of the arterial walls
Arteriosclerosis
Inflammation, usually of a chronic progressive character, involving an artery or arteries
Arteritis
Prefix meaning joint
Arthro
Accumulation of free serous fluid in the abdominal cavity
Ascites
Loss of consciousness from deficient oxygen
Asphyxia
A form of arteriosclerosis marked by the deposition of lipids in the inner layer of arterial walls
Atherosclerosis
A wasting, decrease in size of an organ or tissue
Atrophy
Prefix meaning self
Auto
A postmortem examination of the organs and tissues of a body to determine cause of death or pathological condition
Autopsy (Necropsy)
Self-nourishing bacteria that are capable of growing in the absence of organic compounds. Organisms that obtain carbon from carbon dioxide
Autotrophic Bacteria
A tearing away
Avulsion
Any rod-shaped microorganism
Bacillus (pl. Bacilli)
The presence of viable bacteria in the blood stream
Bacteremia
A procaryotic one-celled microorganism of the Kingdom Monera, existing as free living organisms or as parasites, multiplying by binary fission and having a large range of biochemical properties
Bacteria
A visible group of bacteria growing on a solid medium, presumably arising from a single microorganism
Bacterial Colony
An agent that destroys bacteria but not necessarily their spores
Bactericide
Science that studies bacteria
Bacteriology
The red pigment in bile
Bilirubin
The green pigment in bile
Biliverdin
A method of asexual reproduction in bacteria in which the cell splits into two parts, each of which develops into a complete individual
Binary Fission
Prefix meaning life
Bio
An arthropod vector in which the disease causing organism multiplies or develops within the arthropod prior to becoming infective for a susceptible individual
Biological Vector
Pre-embalming purge as a result of a fracture of the skull, a surgical procedure in the cranial cavity or a trauma. It is possible for gas (a type of purge) to build up in the cranium and travel along the nerve routes to distend such tissues as the eyelids
Brain Purge
Severe form of malnutrition
Cachexia
Several communicating boils of the skin and subcutaneous tissues with the production and discharge of pus and dead tissue
Carbuncle
General term for a malignant tumor
Carcinoma
The membrane that surrounds some bacterial cells; a loose gel-like structure that, in pathogenic bacteria,, helps to protect against phagocytosis
Capsule
Formation of cavities in an organ or tissue; frequently seen in some forms of tuberculosis
Cavitation
Suffix meaning a protrusion
Cele
The deterioration of an organ or cell structure which may include swelling
Cellular Degeneration
A cellular reaction to injury which may include pigmentation, calcification, and gout
Cellular Infiltration
Suffic meaning perforating
Centesis
A blow; hence a sudden attack, as a sunstroke, a paralytic or apoplectic stroke or apoplexy
Cerebral Vascular Accident (Stroke)
Primary lesion, initial sclerosis, syphilitic sore, the first manifestation of syphilis
Chancre
A large group of nonmotile, gram negative intracellular parasites
Chlamydia
Prefix meaning bile
Chol
Suffix meaning bile
Chole
Inflammation of the gallbladder
Cholecystitis
A disease with a more or less slow onset and long duration
Chronic
A degeneration or atrophy of the parenchyma cells of an organ with hypertrophy of the interstitial connective tissue
Cirrhosis
Congenitally malformed palate with a fissure along the midline
Cleft Palate
Study of disease by means of body secretions, excretions, and other body fluids performed in the laboratory in the diagnosis of a disease
Clinical Pathology
A type of bacteria that is spherical or ovoid in form
Coccus (pl. Cocci)
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the colon
Colitis
The symbiotic relationship of two organisms of different species in which one gains some benefit such as protection or nourishment
Commensalism
A disease that may be transmitted directly or indirectly from one individual to another
Communicable
An unfavorable condition arising during the course of disease
Complication
The immediate and temporary disturbance of brain function
Concussion
Existing at the time of birth or shortly thereafter
Congenital
A disease that begins before birth and is evident at the time of birth
Congenital Disease
Accumulation of an excess of blood or tissue fluid in a body part
Congestion
The act of introducing disease germs or infectious material into an area or substance
Contamination
A bruise, often accompanied with swelling
Contusion
A congenital condition due to hypothyroidism resulting in mental retardation
Cretinism
Condition in which the descent of a testis into the scrotum is arrested at some point in the normal path
Cryptorchism
Bluish discoloration of the skin or mucous membrane due to lack or oxygen
Cyanosis
A sac within or on the body surface containing air or fluid
Cyst
Prefix meaning bladder
Cyst
Inflammation of a bladder, especially the urinary bladder
Cystitis
Chemical reaction involving breaking of chemical bonds; forms two or more smaller molecule compounds from larger molecule compounds
Decomposition
Disease due to lack of dietary or metabolic substance
Deficiency
The deterioration of tissues with corresponding functional impairment as a result of disease or injury
Degeneration
Loss of moisture from body tissue which may occur antemortem or postmortem
Dehydration
Prefix meaning through
Dia
A term used to designate two diseases, ___________ insipidus and __________ mellitus, each having the symptom of polyuria in common
Diabetes
The term denoting the naming of the disease or syndrome; to recognize the nature of a disease
Diagnosis
The condition of the heart being enlarged, occurring normally, artificially, or as a result of disease
Dilatation
A double bacillus, two being linked end to end to each other
Diplobacilli
A genus of bacteria that are gram-positive organisms occurring in pairs.
Diplococcus aka Streptococcus
A chemical or physical agent that kills disease causing microorganisms generally used on inanimate objects
Disinfectant
The destruction of infectious agents by chemical or physical means directly applied to an inanimate object
Disinfection
The presence of a number of diverticula of the intestine
Diverticulosis
Resistant, as in bacteria, to the action of a drug or drugs
Drug-Fast
Condition that results when the body part that dies had little blood and remains aseptic and occurs when the arteries but not the veins are obstructed
Dry Gangrene AKA Ischemic Necrosis
Prefix meaning difficult
Dys
Abnormal development of tissue
Dysplasia
Faulty nutrition
Dystrophy
Small non-elevated hemorrhagic patch; extravasation of blood into a tissue
Ecchymosis
Suffix meaning dilate
Ectasis
Suffic meaning removal of
Ectomy
Displaced; not in the normal place; for example extrauterine pregnancy
Ectopic
The implantation of the fertilized ovum in a site other than the normal one in the uterine cavity
Ectopic Pregnancy
Abnormal accumulation of fluids in tissue or body cavities
Edema
Excessive wasting away of the body
Emaciation
Free floating object in the bloodstream
Embolism
Suffix meaning vomit
Emesis
Suffix meaning blood
Emia
Pus in the pleural cavity
Empyema
Prefix meaning in
En
Inflammation of the brain
Encephalitis
A disease that is continuously present in a community
Endemic
Prefix meaning within
Endo
Inflammation of the endocardium, or lining membrane of the heart. May involve only the membrane covering the valves or the general lining of the chambers of the heart
Endocarditis
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the cervix uteri
Endocervicitis
The ectopic occurrence of endometrial tissue or its diffuse inplantation or infiltration in the myometrium
Endometriosis
Produced or arising from within a cell or organism
Endogenous infection
A thick walled spore within a bacterium
Endospores
Bacterial toxin confined within the body of a bacterium freed only when the bacterium is broken down, found only in gram negative bacteria
Endotoxin
Inflammation of the intestine
Enteritits
Prefix meaning intestine
Entero
Prefix meaning upon
Epi
A disease that is currently in higher than normal numbers
Epidemic
A chronic neurogenic disease marked by sudden alterations in consciousness and frequently by convulsions
Epilepsy
Bleeding from the nose
Epistaxis
Inflammation of the esophagus
Esophagitis
Suffix meaning sensation
Esthesia
The study of the cause of disease
Etiology
Prefix meaning out of
Ex
Increase in severity of a disease
Exacerbation
Originating outside an organ or part
Exogenous Infection
A toxin produced by a microorganism and excreted into its surrounding medium, generally protein in nature
Exotoxin
Inccrease in severity of a disease
Exsanguination
Loss of blood to the point where life can no longer be sustained
Exsanguination
The fluid that oozes through the tissues into a cavity or to the surface
Exudate
A microorganism that prefers an environment devoid of oxygen but has adapted so that it can live and grow in the presence of oxygen
Facultative Aerobe
An organism that prefers an oxygen environment but is capable of living and growing in its absence
Facultative Anaerobe
Having the capacity to do something that is not compulsory, in particular having the ability to live or adapt to certain conditions
Facultative Bacteria
Prefers live organic matter as a source of nutrition but can adapt to the use of dead organic matter under certain conditions
Facultative Saprophyte
Term associated with Fever
Febrile
An encapsulated tumor composed mainly of fibrous connective tissue; fibroid, tumor, inoma
Fibroma
One in which the organisms are originally confined to one area but enter the blood or lymph vessel and spread to other parts of the body
Focal Infection
Any inanimate object to which infectious material adheres and can be transmitted
Fomite
Having rapid and severe onset, usually fatal
Fulminating
A condition or disease in which there is no recognizable change in anatomy
Functional
A group of diverse and widespread unicellular and multicellular organisms, lacking chlorophyll, usually bearing spores and often filamentous
Fungus (pl. Fungi)
An agent that kills fungi and their spores
Fungicide
An abscess or pyogenic infection of a sweat gland or hair follicle
Furuncle
A form of necrosis combined with putrefaction
Gangrene
Inflammation of the stomach
Gastritis
