CVS101T Cerebrovascular Pathology Terms

Vocabulary flashcards covering cerebrovascular pathology terms from Page 1.

Plaque

Lipids, complex carbohydrates, blood, and by-products that build up inside the artery.

Arteriosclerosis

Thickening, hardening and loss of elasticity of the walls of the arteries.

Atherosclerosis

A form of arteriosclerosis. Hardening and narrowing of the arteries caused by a slow build-up of plaque on the inside of the artery.

Aneurysm

A localized abnormal dilation of a blood vessel due to weakness of the vessel wall. Causes can include trauma, infection, atherosclerosis, and congenital factors.

Atheroma

A fatty deposit within an arterial wall.

Embolism

Obstruction of a blood vessel by a foreign substance. Can be liquid, gaseous, or solid.

Ischemia

A decrease in the blood supply to a bodily organ, tissue, or part caused by constriction or obstruction of the blood vessels.

Lumen

The inner open space or cavity of a tubular organ, such as a blood vessel.

Occlusion

Closure or blockage of a blood vessel.

Obstruction

The blocking of a body passage, as by clogging.

Stenosis

Narrowing of a vessel. Can be due to plaque formation or atherosclerosis/arteriosclerosis, causing constriction of the blood vessel.

Thrombus/Thrombosis

Localized obstruction of blood flow, also known as a blood clot. A structure composed of red blood cells trapped in a fibrin network.

Dissection

Sudden tear in the intima that creates a false lumen which may gradually extend proximally or distally.

Idiopathic

A disease of unknown cause.

etiology

study of causation of disease

pathophysiology

conditions typically observed during a diseased state

pathology

study of disease