Key Terms

adenocarcinoma

cancer that originates in glandular tissue

adhesions

irregular bands of tissue

amenorrhea

absence of menstruation

anovulation

lack of ovulation

asherman syndrome

a syndrome characterized by endometrial adhesions that typically occur as a result of scar formation after some types of uterine surgery

atrophy

wasting away of a part of the body

bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy

the surgical removal of both ovaries and both fallopian tubes

CA-125

a tumor marker in the blood that can indicate certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the ovary, endometrium, breast, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs; stands for cancer antigen-125

climacteric

another name for menopause

coronary heart disease

the buildup of plaque within the arteries that supply the myocardium of the heart

dilation and curettage

a procedure in which the cervix is dilated and the uterine cavity is scraped with a curette

double-layer thickness

measurement of the endometrium from basal layer to basal layer, excluding both the adjacent hypoechoic myometrium and the intracavitary fluid (if present)

endometrial atrophy

the degeneration of the endometrium with advanced age; most often seen in postmenopausal women

endometrial carcinoma

cancer of the endometrium

endometrial hyperplasia

an increase in the number of endometrial cells

endometrial polyps

small nodules of hyperplastic endometrial tissue

estrogen

the hormone released by the ovary that initiates the proliferation and thickening of the endometrium

estrogen replacement therapy

hormone replacement therapy that involves the administration of synthetic estrogen

hematometra

blood accumulation within the uterine cavity

hormone replacement therapy

the medical treatment used to accommodate the reduction of estrogen and progesterone that occurs during menopause

hyperplasia

an increase in the number of cells of a tissue or an organ

hypertension

high blood pressure

hypomenorrhea

decreased or scant menstrual flow

hysteroscopy

endoscopy of the uterine cavity

intermenstrual bleeding

bleeding between periods

leiomyoma (uterine)

a benign, smooth muscle tumor of the uterus; may also be referred to as a fibroid or uterine myoma

menometrorrhagia

excessive and prolonged menstrual bleeding at irregular intervals

menopause

cessation of menstruation with advanced age

metastasis

the spread of cancer from a distant site

nulliparity

having birthed no children

osteopenia

a bone density that is lower than normal

osteoporosis

bone loss that predisposes the individual to fractures

pendunculated

something that grows off a stalk

pelvic inflammatory disease

infection of the female genital tract that may involve the ovaries, uterus, and/or the fallopian tubes

perimenopausal

the time prior to menopause

polycystic ovary syndrome

a syndrome characterized by anovulatory cycles, infertility, hirsutism, amenorrhea, and obesity; may also be referred to as Stein–Leventhal syndrome

polypectomy

the surgical removal of a polyp

polypoid

shaped like a polyp

postmenopausal vaginal bleeding

vaginal bleeding after the onset of menopause

postmenopause

the time after menopause

postpartum

the time directly after giving birth and extending to about 6 weeks

progesterone

a hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy, maintains pregnancy, and promotes development of the mammary glands; primarily produced by the ovary and placenta

progestogen therapy

a hormone replacement therapy that involves administering synthetic progesterone

pyometra

the presence of pus within the uterus

saline infusion sonography

see key term saline infusion sonohysterography

saline infusion sonohysterography

a sonographic procedure that uses saline instillation into the endometrial cavity and fallopian tubes to evaluate for internal abnormalities

stein-leventhal syndrome

see key term polycystic ovary syndrome

aynchaie

adhesions

tamoxifen

a breast cancer drug that inhibits the effects of estrogen on the breast

thecoma

benign ovarian sex cord-stromal tumor that produces estrogen in older women

thromboembolism

the formation of a clot within a blood vessel with the potential to travel to a distant site and cause an occlusion

total abdominal hysterectomy

the removal of the uterus and cervix