18 A
abdominal (ab-DOM-ĭ-năl): Pertaining to the abdomen.
abdominocentesis (ab-dom-i-nō-sen-TĒ-sis): Surgical puncture to aspirate fluid from the abdomen.
abdominoplasty (ab-DOM-i-nō-plas-tē): Surgical repair of the abdomen.
ablation (a-BLĀ-shŏn): Destruction of abnormal or excessive tissue by eroding, vaporizing or melting; Using extreme heat or extreme cold to destroy cells in part of the heart which were causing abnormal rhythms.
abortion (ă-BOR-shŏn): Termination of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable.
abrasion (ă-BRĀ-zhŏn): Scrape (by injury or mechanical process).
abruptio placentae (ă-BRŬP-shē-ō plă-SENT-ā): Pre-mature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall.
abscess (AB-ses): Localized collection of pus.
acanthosis nigricans (ak-an-THŌ-sis NĪ-grĭ-kăns): A disorder that causes darkening and thickening of the skin on the neck, groin, underarms or skin folds.
acapnia (ă-KAP-nē-ă): Condition of absence (less than normal level) of carbon dioxide (in the blood).
acne (AK-nē): Clogging of pores, which can lead to infection and inflammation.
acoustic neuroma (ă-KOOS-tĭk noor-Ō-mă): A benign tumor in the internal auditory canal.
acrochordons (ak-rŏ-KOR-don): Skin tags, teardrop-sized pieces of skin that can be as large as raisins and are typically found in the armpits or neck area.
acromegaly (ak-rō-MEG-ă-lē): Enlargement of the extremities,
acronym: Term derived from the first letters of a phrase and are spoken as if they are a word on their own.
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (ă-KWĪRD im-yŭ-nō-dĕ-FISH-ĕn-sē SĬN-drōm): Advanced, chronic immune system suppression caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). infection.
active immunity (AK-tĭv im-Ū-nĭt-ē): Immunity developed from an individual’s own immune system.
acute inflammation (ă-KŪT in-flă-MĀ-shŏn): Inflammation occurring for a limited time period; rapidly developing.
adaptive immune response (ad-ap-TĬV i-MŪN ri-SPONS): Relatively slow but very specific and effective immune response controlled by lymphocytes.
adenectomy (ad-ĕn-EK-tŏ-mē): Excision of a gland.
adenitis (ad-ĕ-NĪT-is): Inflammation of the gland.
adenoidectomy (ad-ĕ-noy-DEK-tŏ-mē): Excision of the adenoids.
adenoiditis (ad-ĕ-noyd-ĪT-is): Inflammation of the adenoids.
adenomegaly (ă-dēn-ō-MEG-ă-lē): Enlarged gland.
adenotome (AD-ĕ-nō-tōm): Instrument used to cut the adenoids.
adhesion (ad-HĒ-zhŏn): Band of scar tissue that binds anatomic surfaces to each other.
adipocytes (AD-ĭ-pō-sīts): Fat cells.
adipose (AD-ĭ-pōs): Fat tissue.
adrenalectomy (ă-drē-nă-LEK-tŏ-mē): Excision of the adrenal glands.
adrenalitis (ă-drē-nă-LĪT-is): Inflammation of adrenal glands.
adrenocorticohyperplasia (ă-drē-nō-kor-tĭ-kō-hī-pĕr-PLĀ-zh(ē-)ă): Excessive development of the adrenal cortex.
adrenomegaly (ă-drēn-ō-MEG-ă-lē): enlargement of one or both adrenal glands.
adrenopathy (ă-drēn-ŎP-ă-thē): Disease of the adrenal gland(s).
adventitial (ad-ven-TĬSH-al): The outermost layer of the wall of a blood vessel.
afferent lymphatic vess