Appendix C: Glossary of Pathology Terms

A

abortion (ă-BOR-shŭn): spontaneous or therapeutic loss of a pregnancy at less than 20 weeks; also called miscarriage

abrasion (ă-BRĀ-zhŭn): scraping away of skin or mucous membranes

abruptio placentae (ă-BRŬP-shē-ō plă-SĚN-tă): sudden, premature detachment of the placenta from the uterine wall

achalasia (ăk-ă-LĀ-zē-ă): dilation and expansion of the lower esophagus, due to pressure from food accumulation

acne (ĂK-nē): disease of the sebaceous (oil) glands and hair follicles in the skin, marked by plugged pores, pimples, cysts, and nodules on the face, neck, chest, back, and other areas

acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) (ă-KWĪRD ĭm-ŪN dē-FĬSH-ĕn-sē SĬN-drōm): late-stage infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which progressively weakens the immune system

acromegaly (ăk-rō-MĚG-ă-lē): type of hyperpituitarism in which an overactive pituitary gland after adulthood causes abnormal continued growth of bones and tissues of the face and extremities

actinic keratosis (ăk-TĬ -nĭk kĕr-ă-TŌ-sĭs): precancerous condition in which rough, scaly patches of skin develop, most commonly on sun-exposed areas such as the scalp, neck, face, ears, lips, hands, and forearms; also known as solar keratosis

acute bronchitis (ă-KŪT brŏng-KĪ-tĭs): infection and inflammation of bronchial airways

acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (ă-KŪT RĚS-pĭr-a-tor-ē dĭs-TRĚS SĬN-drōm): acute, life-threatening condition of lung injury that develops secondary to some other lung trauma or disorder

Addison’s disease (ĂD-ĭ-sŭnz dĭ-ZĒZ): illness characterized by gradual adrenal-gland failure, resulting in insufficient production of steroid hormones and the need for hormone-replacement therapy; also called hypoadrenalism

adhesive capsulitis (ăd-HĒ-sĭv kăp-sū-LĪ-tĭs): loss of range of motion in the shoulder; also called frozen shoulder

allergic rhinitis (ă-LĚR-jĭk rī-NĪ-tĭs): inflammation of the nasal membranes, caused by allergies

alopecia (ă-lō-PĒ-shē-ă): autoimmune disease that results in loss of hair; alopecia areata causes patchy hair loss from the scalp; alopecia totalis causes total scalp hair loss; alopecia universalis causes total body hair loss

Alzheimer’s disease (ĂLTS-hī-mĕrz dĭ-ZĒZ): form of chronic, progressive dementia caused by the atrophy of brain tissue

amblyopia (ăm-blē-Ō-pē-ă): disorder in which the brain disregards images from the weaker eye and relies on those from the stronger eye; sometimes called lazy eye

amenorrhea (ă-mĕn-ō-RĒ-ă): absence of menses in a woman between the ages of 16 and 40

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (ă-mī-ō-TRŌ-fĭk LĂ-tĕr-ăl sklĕ-RŌ-sĭs): chronic, progressive, degenerative neuromuscular disorder that destroys motor neurons of the body; also called Lou Gehrig’s disease

anacusis (ăn-ă-KŪ-sĭs): total deafness

anaphylaxis (ăn-ă-fĭ-LĂK-sĭs): life-threatening systemic allergic reaction to a substance to which the body was previously sensitized

anemia (ă-NĒ-mē-ă): group of disorders generally defined as a reduction in the mass of circulating red blood cells

aneurysm (ĂN-ū-rĭ-zum): weakening and bulging of part of a vessel wall

angina (ăn-JĪ-nă): heart ...