med term urinary system

kidney

one of the two bean-shaped organs located on each side of the vertebral column on the posterior wall of the abdominal cavity covered anteriorly by the parietal peritoneum. their function is to remove waste products from the blood and to aid in maintaining water and electrolyte balance

nephron

urine-producing microscopic structure. approximately 1 million nephrons located in each kidney

glomerulus

cluster of capillaries at the enterance of the nephron. the process of filtering blood, thereby forming urine, begins here

renal pelvis

funnel-shaped reservoir in the kidney that collects the urine and passes it to the ureter

hilum

indentation on the medial side of the kidney where the renal artery, vein and pelvis are located are the ureter leaves the kidney

ureters

two slender tubes, approximately 10 to 13 inches long that receive the urine from the kidneys and carry it to the posterior portion of the bladder

urinary bladder

muscular, hollow organ that temporarily holds the urine. as it fills, the thick, muscular wall becomes thinner, and the organ increases in size

urethra

lowest part of the urinary tract, through which the urine passes from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body. this narrow tube varies by sex. it is approximately 1.5 inches long in the female and approximately 8 inches in the male, in whom it is also part of the reproductive system. it carries seminal fluid (semen) at the time of ejaculation

urinary meatus

opening through which urine passes to the outside

cyst/o

bladder, sac (refers to urinary bladder unless otherwise identified)

glomerul/o

glomerulus

meat/o

meatus (opening)

nephr/o

kidney

pyel/o

renal pelvis

ren/o

kindey

ureter/o

ureter

urethr/o

uretha

vesic/o

bladder, sac (refers to urinary bladder unless otherwise identified)

albumin/o

albumin

azot/o

urea, nitrogen

blast/o

developing cell, germ cell

glycos/o

sugar

hem/o

blood

hydr/o

water

lith/o

stone, calculus

noct/i

night

olig/o

scanty, few

son/o

sound

ur/o

urine, urinary tract

urin/o

urine, urinary tract

a-

absence of, without

dys-

painful, abnormal, difficult, labored

poly-

many, much

trans-

through, beyond, across

-al

pertaining to

-ary

pertaining to

-cele

hernia, protrusion

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal

-emia

in the blood

-gram

the record, radiographic image

-grapgy

process of recording, radiographic imaging

-ia

diseased or abnormal state, condition of

-iasis

condition

-itis

inflammation

-lith

stone, calculus

-lysis

loosening, dissolution, separating

-megaly

enlargement

-oma

tumor, swelling

-osis

abnormal condtion

-pexy

surgical fixation

-ptosis

drooping, sagging, prolapse

-scope

instrument used for visual examination

-scopy

visual examination

-stenosis

constriction or narrowing

-stomy

creation of an artificial opening

-tomy

cut into, incision

-tripsy

surgical crushing

-uria

urine, urination

cystitis

inflammation of the bladder

cystocele

protrusion of the bladder

cystolith

stone(s) in the bladder

glomerulonephritis

inflammation of the glomeruli of the kidney

hydronephrosis

abnormal condition of water in the kidney (swelling of the kidneys due to build up of urine; usually from a blockage in the ureter)

nephritis

inflammation of a kidney

nephroblastoma

kidney tumor containing developing (germ) cells (malignant tumor) (also called Wilms tumor) generally unilateral and can be successfully managed with appropriate surgical and oncology treatment

nephrolithiasis

condition of stone(s) in the kidney

nephroma

tumor of the kidney

nephromegaly

enlargement of the kidney

nephroptosis

drooping kidney (also called floating kidney)

pyelitis

inflammation of the renal pelvis

pyelonephritis

inflammation of the renal pelvis and kidney

uremia

urine (urea nitrogen) in the blood (refers to the presence of azotemia and a wide range of signs and symptoms associated with chronic kidney disease including polyuria (excessive urination), polydipsia (excessive thirst), vomiting, and weight loss; associated with renal failure) (also called uremic syndrome)

ureteritis

inflammation of a ureter

ureterocele

protrusion of a ureter (distally into the bladder)

ureterolithiasis

condition of stone(s) in the ureter

urethritis

inflammation of the urethra

ureterostenosis

narrowing of the ureter

urethrocystitis

inflammation of the urethra and bladder

vesicouretral reflux (VUR)

reflux pertaining to the bladder and ureter (condition in which urine flows backward towards the kidneys. May occur in up to 10% of children and in some adults

acute kidney injury (AKI)

abrupt decline in kidney function that occurs over hours to days and is usually reversible (also called acute renal failure (ARF))

chronic kidney disease (CKD)

progressive, irreversible loss of kidney function (also called chronic renal failure (CRF))

end-stage renal disease (ESRD)

condition in which kidneys no longer function on their own. Dialysis or kidney transplantation is necessary for survival

epispadias

congenital defect in which the urinary meatus is located on the upper surface of the penis

hypospadias

congenital defect in which the urinary meatus is located on the underside of the penis. females may also have a form of hypospadias where the urinary meatus in unusually located

polycystic kidney disease (PKD)

condition in which the kidney contains many cysts causing progressive interference with the ability to form urine

renal calculus

stone in kidney

renal hypertension

elevated blood pressure resulting from kidney disease

urinary retension

abnormal accumulation of urine in the bladder because of an inability to urinate

urinary supression

sudden stoppage of urine formation

urinary tract infection (UTI)

infection of one or more organs of the urinary tract