Diagnosis
the identification of a disease or condition by a scientific evaluation of physical signs, symptoms, history, tests, and procedures
Prognosis
the predicted outcome of a disease
Acute
having a short and relatively severe course
Chronic
the disease exists over a long period of time
Signs
objective evidence of an illness
(fever, rash, or evidence established by radiologic or laboratory testing)
Symptoms
subjective evidence
(pain)
Tests:
laboratory, clinical, imaging, specimen
Vital Signs
pulse rate, respiration rate, and body temp.
Pulse
the rhythmic expansion of an artery that occurs as the heart beats
Respiration Rate
the number of breaths per minute
Tympanic Thermometer
a specially designed probe tip that is placed at the external opening of the ear canal
Blood Pressure
the pressure exerted by the circulating volume of blood on the walls of the arteries and veins and on the chambers of the heart
Systolic Pressure
the higher reading of blood pressure
Diastolic Pressure
the lower reading of blood pressure
Inspection
the examiner uses the eyes and ears to observe and listen to the patient
Palpation
the examiner feels the texture, size, consistency, and location of certain body parts with the hands
Percussion
the examiner taps the body with the fingertips or fist to evaluate the size, boarders, and consistency of internal organs and to determine the amount of fluid in a body cavity
Auscultation
the examiner listens for sounds with a stethoscope to evaluate the heart, blood vessels, lungs, intestines, or other organs
Endoscope
an illuminated instrument for the visualization of the interior of a body cavity or organ
Endoscopy
visual inspection of the body by means of an endoscope
Catheter
a hollow flexible tube that can be inserted into a cavity of the body to with draw or instill fluids, perform tests, or visualize a vessel or cavity
Cannula
means a hollow flexible tube that is inserted into vessels or cavities (latin term)
Invasive Procedure
requires entry of a body cavity or interruption of normal body function
Computed Radiography
the image data are digitized and immediately displayed on a monitor or recored on film
Radiography
process of recording diagnostic imaging with x-rays providing film images of internal structures
Radiograph
an x-ray image
Radiopaque
substances that do not permit the passage of x-rays
Radiolucent
substances that readily permit the passage of x-rays
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
M.R.I.
creates images of internal structures based on the magnetic properties of chemical elements within the body and uses a powerful magnetic field and radio pluses
Sonography
the process of imaging deep structures of the body by sending and receiving high frequency sound waves that are reflected back as echoes from the tissue interfaces
Contrast Imaging
the use of radiopaque materials to make internal organs visible on x-ray images
Fluoroscopy
continuous imaging of the motion of internal structures and immediate serial images
Nuclear Scans
administering radiopharaceuticals to a patient orally, into the vein, or by having the patient breathe the material in vapor form
Radiopharmaceuticals
medical drugs that are radioactive
Position Emission Tomography
P.E.T.
combines tomography and radioactive substances to produce enhanced images of select body structures
Radiotherapy
the treatment of tumors using radiation to destroy cancer cells
Radiation Oncology
AKA radiation therapy
Cytotoxic
used in cancer treatments to kill cancer cells ("toxic to cells")
Neoplasm
a new growth of tissue (a tumor) that is either benign or malignant
Therapeutic
"pertaining to therapy"
Analgesic
a drug that relieves pain
Narcotic
pertaining to a substance that produces insensibility or stupor
Antimicrobials
drugs that destroy or inhibit the growth of microbes
Antibiotics
antimicrobial agents that are derived from cultures of a microorganism or produced semi synthetically and used to treat infections
Antineoplactic
preventing the development of neoplasms
Chemotherapy
treating with chemicals
Cryotherapy
treatment using cold temperatures
Pharmacotherapy
treatment of diseases with drugs or medicine
Thermotherapy
treatment of a disease with heat
Epithelial Tissue
covering tissue
Connective Tissue
supporting and protective tissue
Muscular Tissue
contracting tissue
Nervous Tissue
tissue that conducts impulses
Dysplasia
abnormal development of tissues
Aplasia
lack of development of an organ or tissue
Hypoplasia
less severe that aplasia
Hyperplasia
abnormal increase in the number of normal cells in tissue
Hypertrophy
increase in the size of an organ cause by an increase in the SIZE of the cells rather than the number of cells
Anaplasia
change in the structure and orientation of cells characterized by a loss of differentiation and reversal to a more primitive form
Homeostasis
the constant internal environment that is naturally maintained by the body
Frontal Plane
divides body in to front and back portions
Transverse Plane
divides the body into upper and lower portions
Sagittal Plane
divides the body into left and right sides
Midsagittal Plane
divides the body into two equal halves
Telecardiogram
a tracing of the electrical impulses of the heart recorded by a machine far (distant) from the patient
Dorsal Cavity
includes cranial and spinal cavities
Viscera
large organs contained in the ventral cavity
Ventral Cavity
includes thoracic and abdominopelvic cavity
Diaphragm
the muscle that divides the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities
Peritoneum
lines the abdominopelvic cavity and enfolds the internal organs
Adhesion
a sticking together of two structures that would normally be separated
Major regions of the body
head, neck, torso, extremities
Abdominal Quadrants
used to describe the location of pain or body structures
Intracellular
fluids found within the cell
Extracellular
fluids found outside the cells
Edema
condition that results in the accumulation of fluid in the interstitial compartment
Salivary Gland
example of an exocrine gland
Thyroid & Adrenal Glands
examples of an endocrine gland
Sudoriferous Glands
AKA sweat glands
Hematoma
a localized collection of blood, usually clotted, in an organ, tissue, or space, resulting from a break in the wall of a blood vessel
Anticoagulant
a substance that delays or prevents blood from clotting
Thrombosis
formation of internal blood clots
Platelets
small structures in the blood that are important for blood clotting
Thrombocytes
AKA blood platelets
Thrombocytopenia
(Thrombopenia)
a reduction in the number of blood platelets
Anemia
a condition in which the number of red blood cells or the concentration of hemoglobin (or both) is decreased
Pallor
paleness
Leukopenia
(Leukcytopenia)
an abnormal decrease in the total number of white blood cells
Leukocytosis
an abnormal increase in the total number of white blood cells
Leukemia
a progressive, malignant disease of blood-forming organs
Erythropoietin
a hormone that causes the production of red blood cells
Hematopoiesis
formation and development of blood cells
Erythropoiesis
the production of red blood cells
Erythropenia
an abnormal decrease in the number of red blood cells
Susceptibility
being vulnerable to a disease or disorder
Resistance
the body's natural ability to counteract microorganisms or toxins
Inflammation
a protective response of body tissue that increases circulation to an area after irritation or injury
Phagocytosis
ingestion and destruction of microorganisms
Interferon
a cell-produced protein that protects the cells from viral infection
Complement
a protein that not only promotes inflammation and phagocytosis, but also causes bacterial cells to rupture
Antigen
any substance that the body regards as foreign
Antibody
a disease-fighting protein produced by the immune system in respond to the presence of a specific antigen
Immunization
the process by which resistance to an infectious disease is induced or augmented
Vaccination
the administration of antigenic material to induce immunity
Immunocompromised
person whose immune system response has been weakened by a disease or immunosuppresive agent
Immunosuppressants
radiation and certain drugs that weaken the immune response
Immunodeficiency
caused by a defect in the immune system and are characterized by a susceptibility to infections and chronic diseases
Hypersensitivity
excessive reaction to an antigen
Allergies
conditions in which the body reacts with an exaggerated immune response to common, harmless substances, most of which are found in the environment
Anaphlaxis
exaggerated, life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions to a previously encountered antigen
Benign
"favorable for recovery"
"not having a tendency to spread"
Malignant
tending to grow worse, to spread, and possibly become life threatening
Metastasis
spreading from one part of the body to another
Metasize
spread to sites away from where they originate