The Urinary System

Chapter 7 - Health Careers '26

Cali/o, calix/o

Calyx (calix), cup shaped

Cyst/o

Urinary bladder

Glomerul/o

Glomerulus

Meat/o

Meatus

Nephr/o

Kidney

Pyel/o

Renal pelvis

Ren/o

Kidney

Trigon/o

Trigone

Ureter/o

Ureter

Urethr/o

Urethra

Vesic/o

Urinary bladder

Albumin/o

Albumin

Azot/o

Nitrogen

Bacteri/o

Bacteria

Dips/o

Thirst

Kal/i

Potassium

Ket/o, keton/o

Ketone bodies

Lith/o

Stone

Natr/o

Sodium

Noct/o

Night

Olig/o

Scanty

-Poietin

Substance that forms

Py/o

Pus

-Tripsy

Crushing

Ur/o

Urine (urea)

Urin/o

Urine

-Uria

Urination, urine condition

Arteriole

Small artery

Calyx or Calix

Cuplike collecting region of the renal pelvis

Catheter

Tube for injecting or removing fluids

Cortex

Outer region of an organ

Creatinine

Nitrogenous waste excreted in urine

Electrolyte

Chemical element that carries an electrical charge when dissolved in water

Erythropoietin (EPO)

Hormone secreted by the kidney to stimulate production of RBCs by bone marrow

Filtration

Process whereby some substances pass through a filter

Glomerular capsule

Enclosing structure surrounding each glomerulus; also called Bowman capsule

Glomerulus

Tiny ball of capillaries in the kidney

Hilum

Depression in the part of an organ where blood vessels and nerves enter and leave

Kidney

One of two bean-shaped organs which filter nitrogenous waste from the bloodstream to form urine

Meatus

Opening or canal

Medulla

Inner region of an organ

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney where filtration, reabsorption, and secretion take place

Nitrogenous waste

Substance containing nitrogen and excreted in urine

Potassium (K+)

An electrolyte regulated by the kidney

Reabsorption

Renal tubules return materials necessary to the body back into the bloodstream

Renal artery

Blood vessel that carries blood to the kidney

Renal pelvis

Central collection region in the kidney

Renal tubules

Microscopic tubes in the kidney where urine is formed after filtration

Renal vein

Blood vessel that carries blood away from the kidney

Renin

Hormone secreted by the kidney that raises blood pressure

Sodium (Na+)

An electrolyte regulated in the blood and urine by the kidneys

Trigone

Triangular area in the urinary bladder

Urea

Major nitrogenous waste excreted in urine

Ureter

One of two tubes leading from the kidneys to the urinary bladder

Urethra

Tube leading from the urinary bladder to the outside of the body

Uric acid

Nitrogenous waste product excreted in the urine

Urinary bladder

Hollow, muscular sac that holds and stores urine

Urination (voiding)

Process of expelling urine; also called micturition

Urinalysis

An examination of urine to determine the presence of abnormal elements. May indicate various pathologic conditions. Inexpensive, non-invasive, and provides valuable information

Normal urine

Is yellow

Pale urine

Indicates excess water

Smoky-red or brown color

Indicates blood

Clear

Normal

Cloudy

Indicates a UTI

Normal urine

Sterile

pH

Normal urine is slightly acidic

Protein

When protein is found in urine → albuminuria. Leak in glomerular membrane

Glucose

Sugar is not normally found in urine. Glycosuria indicates diabetes mellitus

Specific gravity

Reflects amounts of wastes, minerals, and solids in urine

Ketone bodies

Formed when fats are broken down in liver (think keto diet). Occurs in diabetes mellitus

Sediment and casts

Abnormal particles in urine – cells, crystals, casts

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

Congenital condition – baby is unable to break down phenylalanine (amino acid)

Bilirubin

Present in patients with liver disease

Glomerulonephritis

Inflammation of the glomeruli within the kidney

Interstitial nephritis

Inflammation of connective tissue that lies between renal tubules

Nephrolithiasis

Kidney stones

Nephrotic syndrome

Group of clinical signs and symptoms caused by excessive protein loss in urine

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)

Multiple fluid-filled sacs (cysts) within and on the kidney

Pyelonephritis

Inflammation of the lining of the renal pelvis and renal parenchyma

Renal cell carcinoma

Cancerous tumor of the kidney in adulthood

Renal failure

Decrease in excretion of wastes results from impaired filtration function

Renal hypertension

High blood pressure resulting from kidney disease

Wilms tumor

Malignant tumor of the kidney occurring in childhood

Bladder cancer

Malignant tumor of the urinary bladder

Diabetes insipidus

Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) is not secreted, or there is a resistance of the kidney to ADH

Diabetes mellitus

Insulin is not secreted adequately or tissues are resistant to its effects. Three types

Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

Measurement of urea levels in blood

Creatinine clearance

Measurement of the rate at which creatinine is cleared from the blood by the kidney. Useful indicator of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR)

Ultrasonography

Imaging of urinary tract structures using high-frequency sound waves

Radioisotope scan

Image of the kidney obtained after injecting a radioactive substance into the bloodstream

MRI urography

Changing magnetic field produces images of the kidney and surrounding structures in three planes of the body

Cystoscopy

Direct visualization of the urethra and bladder with an endoscope

Dialysis

Separating nitrogenous waste materials from the blood. Two types

Peritoneal dialysis

Uses a catheter to introduce fluid into peritoneal cavity

Lithotripsy

Urinary tract stones are crushed using shock waves

Renal angioplasty

Dilation of narrowed areas in renal arteries

Renal biopsy

Removal of kidney tissue for microscopic examination

Renal transplantation

Surgical transfer of a kidney from donor to a recipient

Urinary catheterization

Passage of a flexible, tubular instrument through the urethra into the urinary bladder

CT urography

X-ray images obtained using computed tomography (CT) show multiple cross-sectional and other views of the kidney