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Med. Term. Ch6
Medical Terminology for Health Professions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions of altered immunologic reactivity, such as allergic reactions | allergist |
| specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the immune system | immunologist |
| what means protected? | immun |
| a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating malignant disorders such as tumors and cancer | oncologist |
| onc means what? | tumor |
| specialized structures of the lymphatic system | lacteals |
| transports lymph from tissues throughout the body and eventually returns this fluid to the venous circulation | lymphatic circulation |
| a clear, watery fluid that transports waste products and proteins out of the spaces between the cells of the body tissues; it also destroys bacteria or other pathogens that are present in the tissues | lymph |
| plasma from arterial blood that flows out of the capillaries and into the spaces between the cells; transports food, oxygen, and hormones to the cells | interstitial fluid, AKA intercellular or tissue fluid |
| microscopic, blind-ended tubes located near the surface of the body | lymphatic capillaries |
| lymph flows from the lymphatic capillaries into the progressively larger _______ ________, which are located deeper within the tissues | lymphatic vessels |
| collects lymph from the right side of the head and neck, the upper right quadrant of the body and the right arm; this empties into the right subclavian vein | right lymphatic duct |
| the largest lymphatic vessel in the body, collects lymph from the left side of the head and neck, the upper left quadrant of the trunk, the left arm, and the entire lower portion of the trunk and both legs; this empties into the left subclavian vein | thoracic duct |
| small and bean shaped, this contains specialized lymphocytes that are capable of destroying pathogens | lymph node |
| located along the sides of the neck | cervical lymph nodes |
| cervic means what? | neck |
| located under the arms in the area known as the armpits | axillary lymph nodes |
| axill means what? | armpit |
| located in the inguinal (groin) area of the lower abdomen | inguinal (groin) |
| inguin means what? | groin |
| three masses of lymphoid tissue that form a protective ring around the back of the nose and the upper throat; these play an important role in the immune system by preventing pathogens from entering the body through the nose and mouth | tonsils |
| located in the nasopharynx | adenoids, AKA the nasopharyngeal tonsils |
| located on the left and right sides of the throat in the area that is visible through the mouth | palatine tonsils |
| located at the base of the tongue | lingual tonsils |
| located superior to (above) the heart; although it is composed largely of lymphoid tissue, the thymus is an endocrine gland that assists the immune system | thymus |
| located on the walls of the ileum | Peyer's patches |
| hangs from the lower portion of the cecum | vermiform appendix |
| a saclike mass of lymphoid tissue located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen, just inferior to (below) the diaphragm and posterior to (behind) the stomach | spleen |
| the __________ filters microorganisms and other foreign material from the blood; "this" also forms lymphocytes and monocytes | spleen |
| the spleen has the __________ function of destroying worn-out red blood cells and releasing their hemoglobin for reuse | hemolytic |
| an inflammation of the lymph nodes/glands | lymphadenitis, AKA swollen glands |
| any disease process affecting a lymph node or nodes | lymphadenopathy |
| lymphaden/o means what? | lymph node |
| a benign tumor formed by an abnormal collection of lymphatic vessels due to a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system | lymphangioma |
| lymphangi means what? | lymph vessel |
| an abnormal enlargement of the spleen | splenomegaly |
| splen/o means what? | spleen |
| bleeding from the spleen | splenorrhagia |
| a diagnostic test that is performed to detect damage or malformations of the lymphatic vessels | lymphoscintigraphy |
| swelling due to an abnormal accumulation of lymph fluid within the tissues | lymphedema |
| -edema means what? | swelling |
| a hereditary disorder due to malformation of the lymphatic system; this condition, which can appear at any time in life, most commonly produces swelling in the feet and legs | primary lymphedema |
| caused by damage to the lymphatic system that most commonly produces swelling in the limb nearest to the damaged lymphatic vessels | secondary lymphedema |
| disease-producing microorganisms | pathogens |
| substances that produce allergic reactions | allergens |
| poisonous or harmful substances | toxins |
| potentially life-threatening cancer cells | malignant cells |
| wraps the body in a physical barrier that prevents invading organisms from entering the body | intact skin |
| traps breathed-in foreign matter with nose hairs and the moist mucous membrane lining of the respiratory system | respiratory system |
| uses the acids and enzymes produced by the stomach to destroy invaders that are swallowed or consumed with food | digestive system |
| structures of the ________ ________, and specialized white blood cells, work together in specific ways to attack and destroy pathogens that have succeeded in entering the body | lymphatic system |
| involves binding antigens to antibodies; this reaction labels a potentially dangerous antigen so it can be recognized, and destroyed, by other cells of the immune system | antigen-antibody reaction |
| any substance that the body regards as being foreign, and includes viruses, bacteria, toxins, and transplanted tissues | antigen |
| true or false: the immune system immediately responds to the presence of any antigen | TRUE |
| a substance that produces an allergic reaction in an individual | allergen |
| a disease-fighting protein created by the immune system in response to the presence of a specific antigen | antibody |
| anti means what? | against |
| bind with specific antigens in the antigen-antibody response; the five primary types of "these", which are secreted by plasma cells, are also known as antibodies | immunoglobulins |
| specialized white blood cells that produce antibodies coded to destroy specific antigens | plasma cells |
| white blood cells that are formed in bone marrow as stem cells; these cells undergo further maturation and differentiation in lymphoid tissues throughout the body | lymphocytes |
| lymph/o means what? | lymph |
| specialized lymphocytes that produce and secrete antibodies | B cells, AKA B lymphocytes |
| when a B cell is confronted with the antigen that it is coded to destroy, that B cell in transformed into a ________ B cell; these cells are capable of producing and secreting antibodies that are coded to destroy a specific antigen | plasma (B cell) |
| true or false: B cells are most effective against viruses and bacteria circulating in the blood | TRUE |
| specialized white blood cells that patrol the body searching for antigens that produce infections | dendritic cells |
| small lymphocytes that mature in the thymus as a result of exposure to the hormone THYMOSIN, which is secreted by the thymus | T cells, AKA: T lymphocytes |
| these cells contribute to the immune defense by coordinating immune defenses and by killing infected cells on contact | T cells |
| a family of proteins produced by the T cells whose specialty is fighting viruses by slowing or stopping their multiplication | interferon |
| produced by the T cells, direct the antigen-antibody response by signaling between the cells of the immune system; "these" attract macrophages to the infected site and prepare them to attach the invaders | lymphokines |
| a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills invading cells; "these" also remove dead cells and stimulate the action of other immune cells | macrophage |
| macro- means what? | large |
| means a cell that eats | -phage |
| a large white blood cell that can destroy substances such as cell debris, dust, pollen, and pathogens by the process of phagocytosis | phagocyte |
| phag/o means what? | to eat or swallow |
| the process of destroying pathogens by surrounding and swallowing them | phagocytosis |
| the state of being resistant to a specific disease | immunity |
| passed from the mother to her fetus (developing child) before birth; this immunity lasts only a short time | natural immunity |
| passed from the mother to her child after birth through breast milk | passive immunity |
| the production of antibodies against a specific antigen by the immune system either by contracting an infectious disease such as chickenpox, or by vaccination against a disease such as poliomyelitis (polio) | acquired immunity, AKA active immunity |
| providing protection for susceptible individuals from communicable diseases by the administration of a vaccine to provide acquired immunity against a specific disease | vaccination, AKA immunization |
| a preparation containing an antigen, consisting of whole or partial disease-causing organisms, which have been killed or weakened | vaccine |
| occurs when the body's immune system reacts to a harmless allergen such as pollen, food, or animal dander as if it were a dangerous invader | allergic reaction |
| an overreaction by the body to a particular antigen | allergy, AKA hypersensitivity |
| includes redness, itching, and burning where the skin has come into contact with an allergen | localized allergic response, AKA cellular response |
| contact with poison ivy can cause a _________ _________ _________ in the form of an itchy rash | localized allergic response |
| a severe response to an allergen; the symptoms of this response develop quickly; without medical aid, the patient can die within a few minutes | systemic reaction, AKA anaphylactic shock |
| a diagnostic test to identify commonly troublesome allergens such as tree pollen and ragweed; swelling and itching indicate an allergic reaction | scratch test |
| medications administered to relieve or prevent the symptoms of hay fever, which is a common allergy to wind-borne pollens, and other types of allergies | antihistamines |
| "these" work by preventing the effects of histamine, which is a substance produced by the body that causes the itching, sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes of an allergic reaction | antihistamines |
| any of a large group of diseases characterized by a condition in which the immune system produces antibodies against its own tissues | autoimmune disorder, AKA autoimmune disease |
| this abnormal functioning of the immune system appears to be genetically transmitted and predominantly occurs in women during the childbearing years | autoimmune disorder, AKA autoimmune disease |
| true or false: autoimmune disorder affect ALL body systems | FALSE! they affect MOST body systems |
| occurs when the immune response is compromised | immunodeficiency disorder |
| a bloodborne infection in which the virus damages or kills the cells of the immune system, causing it to progressively fail, thus leaving the body at risk of developing many life threatening opportunistic infections | human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) |
| caused by a pathogen that does not normally produce an illness in healthy humans; however, when the host is debilitated, these pathogens are able to cause an infection | opportunistic infection |
| the most advanced, and fatal, stage of an HIV infection | acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) |
| an example of an opportunistic infection that is frequently associated with HIV; this cancer causes patches of abnormal tissue to grow under the skin, in the lining of the mouth, nose and throat, or in other organs | Kaposi's sarcoma |
| a blood test used to screen for the presence of HIV antibodies; an acronym | ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay |
| a blood test that produces more accurate results that the ELISA test; this test is performed to confirm the diagnosis when the results of the ELISA test are positive | Western blot test |
| a disease treatment that involves either stimulating or repressing the immune response | immunotherapy |
| immun/o means what? | immune |
| -therapy means what? | treatment |
| used as a postexposure preventive measure against certain viruses, including rabies and some types of hepatitis | synthetic immunoglobulins, AKA immune serum |
| used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, hepatitis C, and some cancers | synthetic interferon |
| any of a class of antibodies produced in the laboratory by identical offspring of a clone of specific cells; used to enhance the patients immune response | monoclonal antibodies |
| treatment to repress or interfere with the ability of the immune system to respond to stimulation by antigens | immunosuppression |
| a substance that prevents or reduces the body's normal immune response; this medication is administered to prevent the rejection of donor tissue and to depress autoimmune disorders | immunosuppressant |
| a hormone-like preparation administered primarily as an anti-inflammatory and as an immunosuppressant | corticosteroid drug |
| a medication that kills or damages cells; these drugs are used as immunosuppressants or as antineoplastics | cytotoxic drug |
| means poison | tox |
| a microorganism that causes a disease in humans | pathogen |
| one-celled microscopic organisms; most of "these" are not harmful to humans | bacteria |
| bacteria that are __________ in humans include bacilli, rickettsia, spirochetes, staphylococci, and streptococci | pathogenic |
| rod-shaped spore-forming bacteria | bacilli |
| caused by the bacillus Clostridium tetani, and is transmitted through a cut or wound | tetanus |
| what is commonly known as lockjaw because it produces muscle spasms that are so severe a patient cannot open his or her mouth or swallow | tetanus |
| a small bacterium that lives in lice, fleas, ticks, and mites | rickettsia |
| caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick; symptoms of this disease include a fever of sudden onset, headache, and muscle pain followed by the development of a rash | rocky mountain spotted fever |
| spiral-shaped bacteria that have flexible walls and are capable of movement | spirechetes |
| caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected deer tick; symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, & a characteristic skin rash; if left untreated it can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system | lyme disease |
| a group of about 30 species of bacteria that form irregular groups or clusters resembling grapes; most are harmless and reside normally on the skin and mucous membranes of humans and other organisms; others can produce very serious infections | staphylococci |
| a form of staphylococci that commonly infects wounds and causes serious problems such as toxic shock syndrome or produces food poisoning | Staphylococcus aureus, AKA staph aureus or S. aureus |
| a rare but potentially fatal disease caused by bacterial toxins | toxic shock syndrome |
| bacteria that form a chain; many species are harmless; however, other members of this group are responsible for illnesses including strep throat, meningitis, endocarditis, and necrotizing fasciitis | streptococci |
| serious condition that occurs when an overwhelming bacterial infection affects the body; toxins released by these pathogens can produce direct tissue damage resulting in low blood pressure; this damage causes vital organs to not function properly or fail | septic shock |
| ________ _______ occurs most often in the very old and the very young; it also occurs in those with underlying or debilitating illness | septic shock |
| develop when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria it targets | antibiotic resistant bacteria |
| resistant to most antibiotics; most commonly known as MRSA | Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus |
| a simple parasitic organism; some of these are harmless to humans, others are pathogenic | fungus |
| commonly known as athlete's foot, is a fungal infection that commonly develops between the toes and on the feet | Tinea pedis |
| a type of fungus | yeast |
| formerly known as moniliasis, is now also known as a yeast infection or thrush; these infections, which are caused by the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, occur on the skin or mucous membranes in the warm, moist areas such as the vagina or the mouth | candidiasis |
| a plant or animal that lives on, or within, another living organism at the expense of that organism | parasite |
| a disease caused by a parasite that lives in certain mosquitoes that is transferred to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito; after 4 wks, symptoms include fever, shaking chills, headache muscle aches, and tiredness | malaria |
| most commonly transmitted from animals (pets) to humans by contact with contaminated feces; if a woman contracts this during pregnancy, it can result in abnormalities in the developing child such as microcephalus or hydrocephalus | toxoplasmosis |
| an abnormally small head and underdeveloped brain | microcephalus |
| condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain | hydrocephalus |
| very small infectious agents that live only by invading other cells | viruses |
| also known as shingles, is an acute viral infection characterized by painful skin eruptions that follow the underlying route of an inflamed nerve; this inflammation occurs when the dormant varicella (chicken pox) virus is reactivated later in life | herpes zoster |
| also known as mono, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); this condition is characterized by fever, a sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes; swelling of the spleen or liver involvement can also develop | infectious mononucleosis |
| an acute, highly contagious infection caused by the rubeola virus and transmitted by respiratory droplets; symptoms include a high fever, a runny nose, coughing, photophobia, and a red, itchy rash over the entire body | measles |
| means sensitivity to light | photophobia |
| an acute viral disease characterized by the swelling of the parotid glands, which are the salivary glands located just in front of the ears; in adults, "this" can also cause painful swelling of the ovaries or testicles | mumps |
| also known as the German measles or 3-day measles, is a viral infection characterized by a low-grade fever, swollen glands, inflamed eyes, and a fine, pink rash | rubella |
| an acute viral infection that is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite or saliva of an infected animal | rabies |
| also known as chickenpox, is caused by the herpes virus Varicella zoster and is highly contagious; this condition is characterized by a fever and a rash consisting of hundreds of itchy, fluid-filled blisters that burst and form crusts | varicella |
| spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito; a mild form of this condition has flu-like symptoms; a more severe variety spreads to the spinal cord and brain | West Nile virus |
| a member of the herpesvirus family that cause a variety of diseases | cytomegalovirus (CMV) |
| vir means what? | virus |
| medications that are capable of inhibiting growth, or killing pathogenic bacterial microorganisms; not effective against viral infections | antibiotics |
| bio means what? | life |
| a substance that causes the death of bacteria; this group of antibiotics includes penicillins and cephalosporins | bactericide |
| means causing death | -cide |
| an agent that slows or stops the growth of bacteria; this group of antibiotics includes tetracycline, sulfonamide, and erythromycin | bacteriostatic |
| means causing control | -static |
| an agent that destroys or inhibits the growth of fungi | antifungal, AKA antimycotic |
| such as acyclovir, is used to treat viral infections or to provide temporary immunity | antiviral drug |
| the study of the prevention, causes, and treatment of tumors and cancer | oncology |
| a growth of tissue that forms an abnormal mass | tumor |
| means new or strange | neo- |
| means formation | -plasm |
| a noncancerous growth; however, these tumors can cause problems by placing pressure on adjacent structures | benign tumor |
| a benign tumor made up of muscle tissue | myoma |
| harmful, capable of spreading to distant body sites including other body system, can become progressively worse, and is progressively life-threatening | malignant tumor |
| a malignant tumor derived from muscle tissue | myocarcoma |
| means flesh | sarc |
| the process through which the tumor supports its growth by creating its own blood supply | angiogensis |
| means vessel | angi/o |
| -genesis means what? | reproduction |
| a form of treatment that disrupts this blood supply to the tumor | antiangiogensis |
| a class of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by invasion through direct growth into adjacent tissue or by spreading into distant sites by metastasizing | cancer |
| the process by which cancer spreads from one place to another; the cancer moves from the primary site and [spreads] to a secondary site | metastasize |
| a new cancer site that results from the spreading process; it can be within the same body system or within another body system at a distance from the primary site | metastasis |
| meta- means what? | beyond |
| -stasis means what? | stopping |
| a malignant tumor that occurs in epithelial tissue | carcinoma |
| carcin means what? | cancer |
| describes a malignant tumor in its original position that has not yet disturbed or invaded the surrounding tissues | carcinoma in situ |
| means in the place where the cancer first occurred | in situ |
| any one of a large group of carcinomas derived from glandular tissue | adenocarcinoma |
| aden/o means what? | gland |
| a malignant tumor that arises from connective tissues, including hard tissues, soft tissues, and liquid tissues | sarcoma |
| process of classifying tumors with respect to how far the disease has progressed, the potential for its responding to therapy, and the patient's prognosis | staging |
| a general term applied to malignancies affecting lymphoid tissues | lymphoma |
| distinguished from other lymphomas by the presence of large, cancerous lymphocytes known as Reed-Sternberg cells | Hodgkin's lymphoma, AKA Hodgkin's disease |
| the term used to describe all lymphomas other than Hodgkin's lymphoma; there are very many different types of this, some aggressive (fast-growing) and some indolent (slow-growing) | Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma |
| a carcinoma that develops from the cells of the breast and can spread to adjacent lymph nodes and other body sites | breast cancer |
| breast cancer at its earliest stage before the cancer has broken through the wall of the milk duct; at this stage, the cure rate is nearly 100% | ductal carcinoma in situ |
| starts in the milk duct, breaks through the wall of that duct, and invades the fatty breast tissue; this form of cancer accounts for the majority of all breast cancers | infiltrating ductal carcinoma, AKA invasive ductal carcinoma |
| cancer that starts in the milk glands (lobules), breaks through the wall of the gland, and invades the fatty tissue of the breast; once this cancer reaches the lymph nodes, it can rapidly spread to distant parts of the body | infiltrating lobular carcinoma, AKA invasive lobular carcinoma |
| the most aggressive and least common form of breast cancer; this cancer grows rapidly, and symptoms include pain, rapid increase in the breast size, redness or a rash on the breast, and the swelling of nearby lymph nodes; can only be detected by MRI | inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) |
| can occur in the small amount of breast tissue that is normally present in men; the types of cancers are similar to those occurring in women | male breast cancer |
| an essential self-care procedure for the early detection of breast cancer; the focus of this is checking for a new lump or for changes in an existing lump, shape of the nipple, or the skin covering the breast | breast self-examination |
| performed to feel the texture, size, and consistency of the breast | professional palpation of the breast |
| a radiographic examination of the breasts to detect the presence of tumors or precancerous cells | mammography |
| mammo/o means what? | breast |
| the removal of a small piece of tissue for examination to confirm or establish a diagnosis | surgical biopsy |
| means pertaining to life | bi- |
| means view of | -opsy |
| a technique in which an x-ray-guided needle is used to remove small samples of tissue from the breast; it is less painful and disfiguring that a surgical biopsy | needle breast biopsy |
| after the sentinel lymph node has been identified, only this and the other affected nodes are removed for biopsy; if the cancer has not spread, this spares the remaining nodes in that group | sentinel-node biopsy |
| the first lymph node to come into contact with cancer cells as they leave the organ of origination and start spreading into the rest of the body | sentinel node |
| a surgical procedure in which all of the lymph nodes in a major group are removed to determine or slow the spread of cancer | lymph node dissection |
| the surgical removal of only the cancerous tissue and a surrounding margin of normal tissue | lumpectomy |
| the surgical removal of the entire breast and nipple | mastectomy |
| the surgical removal of the entire breast and all of the axillary lymph nodes under the adjacent arm | modified radical mastectomy |
| the surgical removal of an entire breast and many of the surrounding tissues | radical mastectomy |
| the use of chemical agents and drugs in combinations selected to destroy malignant cells and tissue | chemotherapy |
| the use of natural or synthetic substances such as drugs or vitamins to reduce the risk of developing cancer, or to reduce the chance that cancer will recur; it may also be used to reduce the size or slow the development of an existing tumor | chemoprevention |
| medication that blocks the development, growth, or proliferation of malignant cells | antineoplastic |
| plast means what? | growth or formation |
| used in the treatment of some cancers, with the goal of destroying the cancer while sparing healthy tissues | radiation therapy |
| the use of radioactive materials in contact with, or implanted into, the tissues to be treated | brachytherapy |
| brachy- means what? | short |
| -therapy means what? | treatment |
| radiation therapy administered at a distance from the body | teletherapy |
| tele- means what? | distant |
| used after the primary treatments have been completed to decrease the chance that a cancer will recur | adjuvant |
| a developing form of anti-cancer drug therapy that uses drugs or other substances to identify and attach specific cancer cells without harming normal cells | targeted therapy |
| meta- means what? | beyond |
| a group of proteins that normally circulate in the blood in an inactive form and are activated by contact with nonspecific antigens such as foreign blood cells or bacteria | complement |
| a type of white blood cell that surrounds and kills invading cells | macrophage |
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