Blood and Lymphatic System Medical Terminology

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering disorders, diagnostic tests, treatments, and word elements related to the blood, immune, and lymphatic systems.

Dyscrasia

General term indicating an abnormal condition affecting blood

Hematoma

Collection (mass) of blood under skin as result of blood escaping into tissue from damaged blood vessels; commonly referred to as a bruise

Hemophilia

Hereditary blood disease in which blood-clotting time is prolonged due to lack of one vital clotting factor; transmitted by sex-linked trait from females to males, appearing almost exclusively in males

Pancytopenia

Having too few of all cells

Septicemia

Blood condition of having bacteria or toxins in bloodstream (infection)

Aplastic anemia

Severe form of anemia that develops as a consequence of red bone marrow failing to form enough blood cells

Erythrocytosis

Condition of having more than normal of red blood cells

Hemolytic anemia

Anemia that develops as result of destruction of erythrocytes

Hypochromic anemia

Anemia resulting from having insufficient hemoglobin in erythrocytes

Iron-deficiency anemia

Anemia resulting from not having sufficient iron to manufacture hemoglobin

Pernicious anemia

Anemia associated with insufficient absorption of vitamin B12 by digestive system

Polycythemia vera

Condition of producing too many red blood cells by bone marrow; blood becomes too thick

Sickle cell anemia

Genetic blood condition in which erythrocytes take on abnormal curved or “sickle” shape

Thalassemia

Genetic blood condition in which body is unable to make functioning hemoglobin resulting in anemia

ALL

Acute lymphocytic leukemia

AML

Acute myeloid leukemia

Hives

Appearance of wheals as part of allergic reaction

Urticaria

Severe itching associated with hives, usually linked to food allergy, stress, or drug response

Allergy

Hypersensitivity to common substance in environment or to medication

Anaphylactic shock

Life-threatening condition resulting from a severe allergic reaction

Autoimmune disease

Disease resulting from body’s immune system attacking its own cells as if they were pathogens

Elephantiasis

Abnormal condition caused by obstruction, inflammation, and destruction of lymph vessels resulting in enlarged tissues due to edema

Hodgkin’s disease

Cancer of lymphatic cells found in concentration in lymph modes

Mononucleosis

Acute infectious abnormal condition with large number of abnormal mononuclear lymphocytes

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Cancerous tumor of lymphatic tissues other than Hodgkin lymphoma

Thymoma

Tumor of thymus gland

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

Disease involving defect in cell-mediated immunity system

Human immunodeficiency virus

Virus that causes AIDs

Kaposi’s sarcoma

Cancerous tumor in the connective tissue layer of the skin: frequently seen in patients with AIDs

Opportunistic infections

Infectious diseases associated with patients who have compromised immune systems and therefore lowered resistance to infections and parasites

Pneumocystis pneumonia

Lung condition common in patients with weakened immune systems, such as AIDS patients

Severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome

Disease seen in children born with nonfunctioning immune system

GVHD*

Graft versus host disease

Blood culture + sensitivity

Sample of blood is incubated in laboratory to check for bacterial growth

Complete blood count

Combination of blood tests; includes red blood cell count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cell differential, and platelet count

Hematocrit

Blood test to measure volume of red blood cells within total volume of blood

White blood cell count

Blood test to measure number of leukocytes in volume of blood

Phlebotomy

Involves puncture of a vein in order to remove blood for diagnostic test

Monospot

Blood test for infectious mononucleosis

Autologous transfusion

Procedure for collecting and storing patients’ own blood several weeks prior to actual need

Homologous transfusion

Replacement of blood by transfusion of blood received from another person (same species)

Packed red cells

Transfusion in which most of plasma, leukocytes, and platelets have been removed, leaving only erythrocytes

Plasmapheresis

Method of removing plasma from body without depleting formed elements

Immunotherapy

Medical treatment that gives patient an injection of immunoglobulins or antibodies in order to treat disease

Vaccination

Exposure to a killed or weakened pathogen or to a unique substance produced by the pathogen

Anticoagulant

Prevents blood clot formation

Antiplatelet agents

Interferes with action of platelets

Hematinic

Increases number of erythrocytes or amount of hemoglobin blood

Antihistamine

Blocks effects of histamine released by body during allergic reaction

Immunosuppressants

Block certain actions of immune system; required to prevent rejection of transplanted organ

Protease inhibitor drugs

Inhibit protease, an enzyme that viruses need to reproduce

agglutin/o

Clumping

bas/o

Base

chrom/o

Color

coagul/o

Clotting

eosin/o

Rosy red

fus/o

Pouring

granul/o

Granules

hem/o

Blood

hemat/o

Blood

morph/o

Shape

myel/o

Bone marrow, spinal cord

neutr/o

Neutral

phag/o

Eat, swallow

sanguin/o

Blood

septic/o

Infection

lymph/o

Lymph

phleb/o

Vein

thromb/o

Clot

lip/o

Fat

leuk/o

White

fibrin/o

Fibers

erythr/o

Red

-apheresis

Removal, carry away

-crit

Separation of

-cytic

Pertaining to cells

-cytosis

More than the normal amount of cells

-emia

Blood condition

-globin

Protein

-oid

Resembling

-penia

Abnormal decrease, too low

-phil

Attracted to

-philia

Condition of being attracted to

-philic

Pertaining to being attracted to

-plastic

Pertaining to formation

-plastin

Formation

-poiesis

Formation

-rrhagic

Pertaining to abnormal flow

-stasis

Standing still

-otomy

Cutting into

Contra-

Against

Dys-

Abnormal

adenoid/o

Adenoids

axill/o

Axilla, underarms

conjunctiv/o

Conjunctiva

cortic/o

Outer layer

dermat/o

Skin

immun/o

Protection

inguin/o

Groin

lymphaden/o

Lymph node