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C
capillaries - tiny blood vessels between arteries and
veins that distribute oxygen-rich blood to the body.
CA-125 test - blood test to detect an elevated level
of a protein antigen called CA-125, which may indicate ovarian cancer,
among other disorders.
calcium channel blocker (Also called calcium blocker.)
- a medication used to treat heart disease.
calculi - stones or solid lumps such as gallstones.
calluses - thick, hardened areas of the skin, usually
on the foot, caused by friction or pressure.
campylobacter pylori - original name for the bacterium
that causes ulcers; new name is Helicobacter pylori.
cancellous tissue - the sponge-like tissue inside bones.
cancer - abnormal cells that divide without control,
which can invade nearby tissues or spread through the bloodstream and
lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
candidiasis - mild infection caused by the Candida fungus,
which lives naturally in the gastrointestinal tract. Infection occurs
when a change in the body, such as surgery, causes the fungus to overgrow
suddenly.
capillaries - tiny blood vessels between arteries and
veins that distribute oxygen-rich blood to the body.
capsule - the layer of cells around an organ, such as
the capsule of the prostate.
captioning - text display of spoken words presented on
a television or a movie screen that allows a deaf or hard-of-hearing viewer
to follow the dialogue and the action of a program simultaneously.
carcinogen - a substance that is known to cause cancer.
cardiac - pertaining to the heart.
cardiac arrest - the stopping of heartbeat.
cardiac output - total amount of blood being pumped by
the heart over a particular period of time.
cardiology - the clinical study and practice of treating
the heart.
cardioversion - the procedure of applying electrical
shock to the chest to change an abnormal heartbeat into a normal one.
Caroli's disease - An inherited condition in which bile
ducts in the liver are enlarged and may cause irritation, infection, or
gallstones.
carotid arteries - the major arteries in the neck that
supply blood to the brain.
cartilage - a smooth material that covers bone ends of
a joint to cushion the bone and allow the joint to move easily without
pain.
cathartics - laxatives.
catheter - a flexible tube used to drain fluid from or
inject fluid into the body. The most common catheter is the Foley catheter,
used to drain urine from the bladder.
cecostomy - tube that goes through the skin into the
beginning of the large intestine to remove gas or feces; it is a short-term
way to protect part of the colon while it heals after surgery.
cecum - beginning of the large intestine; it is connected
to the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum.
cellular pathology (Also called cytopathology.) - the
study of cellular alterations in disease.
central auditory processing disorder - inability of individuals
with normal hearing and intelligence to differentiate, recognize, or understand
sounds.
cerebellum - a large structure consisting of two halves
(hemispheres) located in the lower part of the brain; responsible for
the coordination of movement and balance.
cerebral embolism - a blood clot from one part of the
body that is carried by the bloodstream to the brain where it blocks an
artery.
cerebral hemorrhage - bleeding within the brain.
cerebral thrombosis - formation of a blood clot in an
artery that supplies blood to the brain.
cerebrovascular - pertaining to blood vessels in the
brain.
cerebrovascular accident (Also called stroke.) - an impeded
blood supply to the brain.
cerebrovascular occlusion - an obstruction in the blood
vessel in the brain.
cerebrum - consists of two parts (lobes), left and right,
which form the largest and most developed part of the brain; initiation
and coordination of all voluntary movement take place within the cerebrum.
The basal ganglia are located immediately below the cerebrum.
cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) - term used
to classify the degree of precancerous change in cells of the cervix in
a condition called cervical dysplasia.
cesarean delivery (Also called cesarean section or C-section.)
- surgical procedure to deliver a baby through an incision in the lower
abdomen and uterus.
chemosensory disorders - disorders or diseases of smell
and/or taste.
chlorhydria - too much hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
cholangiography - series of x-rays of the bile ducts.
cholecystitis - inflammation of the gallbladder wall.
cholecystokinin - hormone released in the small intestine;
causes muscles in the gallbladder and the colon to tighten and relax.
cholelithiasis - a condition in which gallstones are
present in the gallbladder.
chorea - rapid, jerky, dance-like movement of the body.
chyme - thick liquid made of partially digested food
and stomach juices; made in the stomach and moves into the small intestine
for further digestion.
cineangiography - a procedure that involves taking moving
pictures to show the passage of dye through blood vessels.
circulatory system - pertaining to the heart and blood
vessels, and the circulation of blood.
claudication - pain or fatigue in arms and legs due to
a poor supply of oxygen to the muscles.
clinical trials - studies, involving patients, aimed
at finding better ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, or treat cancer.
Clostridium difficile (Also called C. difficile.) - bacteria
naturally present in the large intestine that make a substance that can
cause a serious infection, called pseudomembranous colitis, in people
taking antibiotics.
coccydynia - pain around the coccyx.
cochlea - snail-shaped structure in the inner ear that
contains the organ of hearing.
cochlear implant - medical device that bypasses damaged
structures in the inner ear and directly stimulates auditory nerves to
allow some deaf individuals to learn to hear and interpret sounds and
speech.
colectomy - partial or complete removal of the large
bowel or colon.
colon - large intestine.
colon polyps - small, fleshy, mushroom-shaped growths
in the colon.
colonic inertia - condition of the colon when muscles
do not work properly, causing constipation.
colonoscopic polypectomy - removal of tumor-like growths
(polyps) using a device inserted through a colonoscope.
colony-stimulating factors - substances that stimulate
the production of blood cells.
coloproctectomy - proctocolectomy.
colorectal cancer - cancer that occurs in the colon (large
intestine) or the rectum (the end of the large intestine).
colorectal transit study - test to see how food moves
through the colon.
colostrum - thin, white, first milk produced by the breasts
during late pregnancy and for a few days after childbirth. It provides
a nursing infant with essential nutrients and infection-fighting antibodies.
common bile duct - tube that carries bile from the liver
to the small intestine.
common bile duct obstruction - blockage of the common
bile duct, often caused by gallstones.
compact tissue - the harder, outer tissue of bones.
comparative pathology - the study of disease in animals
and how it compares in humans.
complementary medicine - any form of therapy used in
combination with other alternative treatments or standard/conventional
medicine.
composite resins (Also called white fillings.) - a tooth-colored
plastic mixture filled with glass (silicon dioxide) that is used primarily
for cosmetic improvements of the smile by changing the color of the teeth
or reshaping disfigured teeth.
computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) - a non-invasive
procedure that takes cross-sectional images of the brain or other internal
organs; to detect any abnormalities that may not show up on an ordinary
x-ray.
conductive hearing impairment - hearing loss caused by
dysfunction of the outer or middle ear.
cone biopsy (Also called conization.) - a biopsy in which
a larger cone-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the cervix by using
the loop electrosurgical excision procedure or the cold knife cone biopsy
procedure. The cone biopsy procedure may be used as a treatment for precancerous
lesions
constrict - tighten; narrow.
continence - ability to hold in a bowel movement or urine.
continent ileostomy - operation to create a pouch from
part of the small intestine. Stool that collects in the pouch is removed
by inserting a small tube through an opening made in the abdomen.
contractions, labor - rhythmic tightening of the muscular
wall of the uterus to push the fetus down through the vagina during childbirth.
contusion - a bruise caused by a blow to the muscle,
tendon, or ligament; caused when blood pools around the point of injury
and discolors the skin.
cornea - the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the
front of the eye.
corneal curvature - the shape of the front surface of
the eye.
coronary artery bypass graft (CAB or CABG) - a surgical
procedure in which a healthy blood vessel is transplanted from another
part of the body into the heart to replace or bypass a diseased vessel.
coronary heart disease - a condition in which the coronary
arteries narrow from an accumulation of plaque (atherosclerosis) and cause
a decrease in blood flow.
coronary occlusion - an obstruction of one of the coronary
arteries that decreases flow to the heart muscle.
coronary thrombosis - the formation of a clot in one
of the arteries that carry blood to the heart muscle.
cortex - the outer layer of the cerebrum, densely packed
with nerve cells.
corticosteroids - potent anti-inflammatory hormones that
are made naturally in the body or synthetically for use as drugs. The
most commonly prescribed drug of this type is prednisone.
craniectomy - excision of a part of the skull.
craniotomy - surgical opening of the skull to gain access
to the intracranial structures.
crepitus - grinding noise or sensation within a joint.
crown - a "cap" that covers a cracked or broken
tooth, unfixed by a filling, to approximate its normal size and shape.
cryoprostatectomy - freezing of the prostate through
the use of liquid nitrogen probes guided by transrectal ultrasound of
the prostate.
cryothalamotomy - a surgical procedure in which a supercooled
probe is inserted into a part of the brain called the thalamus in order
to stop tremors.
cryptosporidia - parasite that can cause gastrointestinal
infection and diarrhea. (See also gastroenteritis.)
cued speech - method of communication that combines speech
reading with a system of handshapes placed near the mouth to help deaf
or hard-of-hearing individuals differentiate words that look similar on
the lips.
cupping - the use of warmed glass jars to create suction
on certain points of the body.
cyanosis - bluish color in the skin due to insufficient
oxygen levels in the blood.
cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) - sudden, repeated attacks
of severe vomiting (especially in children), nausea, and physical exhaustion
with no apparent cause.
cystic duct - tube that carries bile from the gallbladder
into the common bile duct and the small intestine.
cystic duct obstruction - blockage of the cystic duct,
often caused by gallstones.
cystometry - diagnostic procedure that measures bladder
capacity and pressure changes as the bladder fills and empties.
cystourethrocele - condition that results when the urethra
and its supporting tissues weaken and drop into the vagina leading to
stress incontinence.
cytology - the study of individual cells.
cytomegalovirus (congenital) - one group of herpes viruses
that infect humans and can cause a variety of clinical symptoms including
deafness or hearing impairment; infection with the virus may be either
before or after birth.
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