Term | Definition |
Urinary System | removes waste from the body by constantly filtering blood |
Urea | major waste product of protein metabolism |
Homeostasis | a stable internal environment |
Home/o | meaning "unchanging" |
Urin/o, Ur/o | meaning "urine" or "pertaining to the urinary system" |
Retroperitoneally | located behind the lining of the abdominal cavity or outside the peritoneal cavity. |
Ren/o, Neph/o | meaning "kidney" |
Cortex | outer layer of the kidney |
Cortic/o | meaning" outer region" used to describe outer region of many organs |
Medulla | inner layer of the kidney |
Medull/o | meaning "inner, or middle portion" used to describe the middle or inner layer of many organs |
Nephron | the functional unit of the kidney consisting of the glomerulus, Bowman's capsule (Glomular capsule), Proximal convoluted tubule, loop of Henle, Distal convoluted tubule, Collecting duct |
Glomerulus | a cluster of capillaries surrounded by Bowman's Capsule |
Glomerul/o, Glomeruli | meaning "Glomerulus" or "to wind into a ball" (Plural) |
Renal Pelvis | area of the kidney where the nephrons collect urine before entering that ureters. |
Pyel/o | meaning "renal pelvis" |
Calyces (Calyx) | irregular cup size spaces that collect urine from the kidney, and the renal pelvis collects it from here. (Singular) |
Hilus | concave depression that serves as the point of attachment of the renal blood vessels, nerves, and ureter. |
Ureters | a pair of narrow tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder |
Ureter/o | meaning "Ureter" |
Trigone | where the ureters enter the Urinary bladder |
Urinary Bladder | a singular hollow muscular organ that holds urine |
Cyst/o | meaning "urinary bladder" |
Urination, Excretion, Voiding, Elimination, Micturition | All used to describe the act of excreting urine. |
Sphincter | ringlike muscles that close off a passageway so that fluid cannot pass through. |
Urethra | a tube extending from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body |
Urethr/o | meaning "urethra" |
Urethral Meatus | external opening of the urethra |
Meat/o | meaning "opening" |
Erythropoietin | hormone produced by the kidney that stimulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow |
Antidiuretic hormone | hormone released by the posterior pituitary gland that suppresses urine formation by reabsorbing more water. abbr ADH |
Aldosterone | hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex that regulates electrolyte balance via the reabsorption of sodium |
Uropoiesis | the process of urine production |
-poiesis | meaning "formation" |
-chrome | meaning "color" |
Turbid | classification used to describe urine that is cloudy, brown, white, or another color |
Cystocentesis | surgical puncture of the urinary bladder, usually to collect urine. |
Cystography | radiographic study of the urinary bladder after contrast material has been placed in the urinary bladder via a urethral catheter. |
Cystogram | the radiographic film of the urinary bladder after contrast material has been placed in the urinary bladder via a urethral catheter |
Retrograde | going backward and can be used to describe the path that contrast material takes. |
Cystoscopy | visual exam of the urinary bladder using a fiberoptic instrument. |
Cytoscope | the fiberoptic instrument used to access the interior of the urinary bladder. |
intravenous Pyelogram | radiographic study of the kidney and ureters in which a dye is injected into a vein to define structures more clearly. abbr IVP |
Pneumocystography | radiographic study of the urinary bladder after air has been placed in the bladder via a urethral catheter |
Radiography | imaging of internal structures that is created by exposing specialized film onto x-rays. |
Scout Film | a plain x-ray made without the use of contrast material |
Retrograde Pyelogram | radiographic study of the kidney and ureters in which contrast material is placed directly in the urinary bladder. |
Urinalysis | exam on Urine components. abbr. UA 3 types: Macroscopic (Gross exam), Microscopic, Chemical |
Urinary Catheterization | insertion of a tube through the urethra into the urinary bladder. abbr cath |
Catheter | the hollow tube that is inserted into a body cavity to inject or remove fluid. |
Albuminuria | presence of the major blood protein in urine |
Anuria | complete suppression of urine production |
Bacteriuria | presence of bacteria in urine |
Crystalluria | urine with naturally produced angular solid of definitive form (crystals) |
Dysuria | difficult or painful urination |
Glucosuria, Glycosuria | Glucose (sugar) in urine |
Hematuria | blood in urine |
Ketonuria | presence of ketones in urine (produced during increased fat metabolism) |
Nocturia | excessive urination at night |
Noct/i | meaning "night" |
Oliguria | scant or little urine |
Pollakiuria | frequent urination |
Pollak/i | meaning "many times" |
Polyuria | excessive urination |
Proteinuria | presence of proteins in urine |
Pyuria | pus in urine |
Stranguria | slow or painful urination |
Urobilinogen (Urine Test) | used more commonly in humans, evaluates liver disease or breakdown of red blood cells, not very useful in veterinary medicine |
Glucose (Urine Test) | used to screen for diabetes mellitus, the kidneys can't conserve all the sugar once the level becomes too high, also used to monitor diabetics |
Ketones (Urine Test) | presence of ketones is typical of an animal with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Ketones result when metabolism has shifted form carbohydrates to lipids. |
Bilirubin (Urine Test) | Bilirubin is formed in the breakdown process of hemoglobin. you will find Bilirubin in urine in a patient with liver disease or excessive blood cell breakdown |
Protein (Urine Test) | Proteins are not usually filtered into urine. proteins will be present in disease of the glomerulus (making it leaky) or with inflammation or the urinary tract (bladder infection) small amounts of protein can be detected in concentrated urine. |
Blood (Urine Test) | the blood may not be visibly seen, blood may be present in diseases that cause inflammation of the urinary tract, bladder infections, stones, tumors, trauma, bleeding disorders can all show blood in urine. |
pH (Urine Test) | pH is influenced by diet and disease states in the body. Acidic = typical in carnivores or animal with acidosis, Base (Alkaline) = typical of cereal grain diets eaters, some urinary tract infections, and alkalosis |
Azotemia | presence of urea or other nitrogenous elements in the blood. |
Azot/o | meaning "urea or nitrogen" |
Calculus | abnormal mineral deposit. Urine may contain crystals that remain in solution in urine. Stones, calculi, and liths are formed with crystals precipitate and form solids. |
Lith/o, -lith | meaning "stone or calculus" with modifiers for which system it comes from ex. urinary calculus, urolith, kidney stone |
Casts | fibrous or protein materials found in urine with renal disease or another abnormality |
Crystals | naturally produced angular solid of definite form |
Crystalgia, Cystodynia | urinary bladder pain |
Cystitis | inflammation of the urinary bladder |
Cystocele | displacement of the urinary bladder through the vaginal wall |
Epispadias | abnormal condition in which the urethra opens on the dorsum of the penis |
Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease | common disease of cats in which cystitis, urethritis, and crystalluria are found, formerly called Feline Urologic Syndrome (FUS) abbr. FLUTD |
Glomerulonephritis | inflammation of the kidney involving the glomeruli |
Hydronephritis | dilation of the renal pelvis as a result of an obstruction to urine flow |
hydroureter | distention of the ureter with urine caused by any blockage |
Hypospadias | abnormal condition in which the urethra opens on the ventral surface of the penis |
Inappropriate urination | eliminating urine at the wrong time or in the wrong place |
Incontinence | inability to control excretory functions. The term urinary often is applied in front. |
Interstitial Cystitis | inflammation within the wall of the urinary bladder |
-lithiasis | meaning "presence of stones or calculi" ex. nephrolithiasis |
Nephrolithiasis | disorder characterized by the presence of kidney stones |
Urolithiasis | disorder characterized by the presence of bladder stones |
Ureterolithiasis | disorder characterized by the presence of stones in the ureters |
Nephrectasis | distention of the kidneys |
Distention | meaning "enlargement" |
-ectasis | meaning "distention or stretching" |
Nephritis | inflammation of the kidneys |
Nephrolith | kidney stone or renal calculus |
Nephromalacia | abnormal softening of the kidney |
Nephropathy | disease of the kidney |
Nephrosclerosis | abnormal hardening of the kidney |
Nephrosis | abnormal condition of the kidney |
Prerenal | before the kidney (used to describe other pathologic conditions ex. prerenal azotemia) |
Postrenal | after the kidney (used to describe other pathologic conditions ex. postrenal obstruction) |
Prolapse | downward displacement of a body organ |
-ptosis | meaning "drooping, or dropping down" |
Nephroptosis | prolapsed kidney |
Pyelitis | inflammation of the renal pelvis |
Pyelonephritis | inflammation of the renal pelvis and kidney |
Renal Failure | inability of the kidneys to function |
Acute Renal Failure | kidney failure that occurs suddenly or over a short period of time abbr. ARF |
Chronic Renal Failure | Kidney failure that has a longer, or progressive onset. abbr. CRF |
Nephrotoxin | a poison having destructive effects on the kidneys, can cause acute renal failure |
Polyuria | elevated urine production abbr. PU |
Polydipsia | excessive thirst or drinking abbr. PD |
Diuresis | elevated excretion of urine, may be produced by fluid therapy or drug therapy |
Diuretics | drug that increase urine production |
Renal infarction | obstruction of blood flow to the kidneys |
Uremia | waste products in the blood. seen with many types of kidney disease |
Ureterectasis | distention of the ureters |
Ureterolith | stone in the ureters |
Urethritis | inflammation of the urethra |
Urethrolithiasis | disorder characterized by the presence of urethral stones |
Urethrolith | urethral stone |
Urethrostenosis | stricture of the urethra |
Stricture | an abnormal band of tissue narrowing a passage |
Urinary retention | inability to completely empty the urinary bladder |
Urinary tract infection | invasion of microorganisms in the urinary system which results in local cellular injury abbr. UTI |
Urolith, Cystolith | urinary bladder stones |
Cystectomy | surgical removal of all or part of the urinary bladder |
Cystopexy | surgical fixation of the urinary bladder to the abdominal wall |
Cystoplasty | surgical repair of the urinary bladder |
Cystostomy | surgical creation of a new opening between the skin and urinary bladder |
Cystotomy | surgical incision into the urinary bladder |
Dialysis | procedure to remove blood waste products when the kidneys are no longer functioning |
Peritoneal Dialysis | the removal of blood waste products by fluid exchange through the peritoneal cavity |
Hemodialysis | the removal of blood waste products by filtering the blood through a machine abbr. HD |
Lithotripsy | destruction of stone using ultrasonic waves traveling through water |
-tripsy | meaning "to crush" |
Nephroectomy | surgical removal of a kidney |
Nephropexy | surgical fixation of a kidney to the abdominal wall |
Nephroplasty | surgical repair of the kidney |
Nephrostomy | surgical creation of a new opening between the skin and kidney |
Ureterectomy | surgical removal of the ureter |
Ureteroplasty | surgical repair of the ureter |
Ureterotomy | surgical incision into the ureter |
Urethroplasty | surgical repair of the urethra |
Urethrostomy | surgical creation of a permanent opening between the urethra and skin |
Perineal Urethrostomy | surgical creation of a permanent opening between the urethra and the skin between the anus and scrotum |
Urethrotomy | surgical incision into the urethra |
Urinalysis | a test to breakdown the contents of urine abbr. UA |
ADH | antidiuretic hormone |
AKI | acute kidney injury |
ARF | acute renal failure |
BUN | blood urea nitrogen |
cath | catheterization |
CRF | chronic renal failure |
CRRT | continuous renal replacement therapy |
FLUTD | feline lower urinary tract disease |
FUS | feline urologic syndrome |
GRF | glomerular filtration rate |
HD | hemodialysis |
IHD | intermittent hemodialysis |
IVP | intravenous pyelogram |
K+ | potassium |
Na+ | sodium |
PU | polyuria |
SG | specific gravity |
UA | urinalysis |
UTI | urinary tract infection |