lymphatic/blood med term pt.2

pernicious anemia

a macrocytic-normochromic type of anemia characterized by an inadequate supply of vitamin B12, causing red blood cells to become large, varied in shape, and reduced in number

erythroblastosis fetalis

a disorder that results from the incompatibility of a fetus with Rh-positive blood and a mother with Rh-negative blood, causing red blood cell destruction in the fetus; a blood transfusion is necessary to save the fetus

Rh factor

the antigen on the surface of red blood cells of the Rh blood group system; its presence can cause a reaction between Rh-positive blood and Rh-negative blood; Rh is derived from Rhesus monkey, in which the antigen was first observed

Rh positive (Rh+)

presence of antigens

Rh negative (Rh−)

absence of antigens

hemochromatosis

hereditary disorder with an excessive buildup of iron deposits in the body

hemophilia

a group of hereditary bleeding disorders caused by a defect in clotting factors necessary for the coagulation of blood

leukemia

chronic or acute malignant (cancerous) disease of the blood-forming organs, characterized by abnormal leukocytes in the blood and bone marrow

myelodysplasia

disorder within the bone marrow characterized by a proliferation of abnormal stem cells (cells that give rise to different types of blood cells); usually develops into a specific type of leukemia

lymphoma

any neoplastic disorder of lymph tissue, usually malignant, as in Hodgkin disease

metastasis

process by which cancer cells are spread by blood or lymph circulation to a distant organ; the plural form, metastases, indicates spreading to two or more distant sites

mononucleosis

condition caused by the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and characterized by an increase in mononuclear cells (monocytes and lymphocytes) in the blood along with enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy), fatigue, and sore throat (pharyngitis)

polycythemia

increased number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in the blood

septicemia

systemic disease caused by infection with microorganisms and their toxins in circulating blood

phlebotomy

incision into or puncture of a vein to withdraw blood for testing; also called venotomy

venotomy

incision into or puncture of a vein to withdraw blood for testing; also called phlebotomy

blood chemistry

test of the fluid portion of blood to measure the amounts of its chemical constituents (e.g., glucose and cholesterol)

basic metabolic panel (BMP)

battery of tests used as a general screen for disease; includes tests for calcium, carbon dioxide (CO2), chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)

comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)

tests performed in addition to the basic panel for expanded screening: albumin, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, protein, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

blood culture

test to determine if infection is present in the bloodstream by isolating a specimen of blood in an environment that encourages the growth of microorganisms; the specimen is observed, and the organisms that grow in the culture are identified

CD4 cell count

a measure of the number of cluster of differentiation (CD4) cells (a subset of T lymphocytes) in the blood; used in monitoring the course of HIV and in timing the treatment of AIDS; the normal adult range is 600–1,500 cells in a given volume of blood

erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

timed test that measures the rate at which red blood cells settle through a volume of plasma

partial thromboplastin time (PTT)

test to determine coagulation defects, such as platelet disorders

thromboplastin

substance present in tissues, platelets, and leukocytes that is necessary for coagulation

prothrombin time (PT)

test to measure activity of prothrombin in the blood

prothrombin

protein substance in the blood that is essential to the clotting process

complete blood count (CBC)

a common laboratory blood test performed as a screen of general health or for diagnostic purposes and typically includes the component tests that follow; test results are usually reported along with normal values so that the clinician can interpret the results based on the instrumentation used by the laboratory; normal ranges also may vary depending on the region and climate

white blood count (WBC)

a count of the number of white blood cells in a given volume of blood obtained via manual or automated laboratory methods

red blood count (RBC)

a count of the number of red blood cells in a given volume of blood obtained via manual or automated laboratory methods

hemoglobin (HGB or Hgb)

a test to determine the blood level of hemoglobin (expressed in grams)

hematocrit (HCT or Hct)

a measurement of the percentage of packed red blood cells in a given volume of blood

blood indices

calculations of RBC, HGB, and HCT results to determine the average size, hemoglobin concentration, and content of red blood cells to classify an anemia (Note: in the entries below, the term corpuscular pertains to a blood cell)

mean corpuscular (cell) volume (MCV)

calculation of the volume (size) of individual red blood cells using HCT and RBC results: MCV = HCT/RBC

mean corpuscular (cell) hemoglobin (MCH)

calculation of the content (weight) of hemoglobin in the average red blood cell using HGB and RBC results: MCH = HGB/RBC

mean corpuscular (cell) hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

calculation of the average hemoglobin concentration in each red blood cell using HGB and HCT results: MCHC = HGB/HCT

red cell morphology

as part of identifying and counting the white blood cells, the condition, size, and shape of red blood cells in the background of the smeared slide are noted (e.g., anisocytosis, poikilocytosis)

platelet count (PLT)

calculation of the number of thrombocytes in the blood; the normal adult range is 150,000–450,000 platelets in a given volume of blood

bone marrow aspiration

needle aspiration of bone marrow tissue for pathologic examination

bone marrow biopsy

pathologic examination of bone marrow tissue

lymphangiogram

an x-ray image of a lymph node or lymph vessel obtained after injection of a contrast dye

computed tomography (CT)

full body x-ray CT images are used to detect tumors and cancers such as lymphoma

positron-emission tomography (PET)

scanning technique combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography technology to produce images of anatomy and metabolic function within the body; useful in determining the recurrence of cancers or to measure response to therapy; commonly used in evaluating lymphoma

bone marrow transplant

transplantation of healthy bone marrow from a compatible donor to a diseased recipient to stimulate blood cell production

lymphadenectomy

removal of a lymph node

lymphadenotomy

incision into a lymph node

lymph node dissection

removal of possible cancer-carrying lymph nodes for pathologic examination

splenectomy

removal of the spleen

thymectomy

removal of the thymus

blood transfusion

introduction of blood products into the circulation of a recipient whose blood volume is reduced or deficient in some manner

autologous blood

blood donated by and stored for a patient for future personal use (e.g., upcoming surgery) (auto = self)

homologous blood

blood voluntarily donated by any person for transfusion to a compatible recipient (homo = same)

blood component therapy

transfusion of a specific blood component, such as packed red blood cells, platelets, or plasma

cross-matching

method of matching a donor’s blood to the recipient by mixing a sample in a test tube to determine compatibility

chemotherapy

treatment of malignancies, infections, and other diseases with chemical agents to destroy selected cells or to impair their ability to reproduce

immunotherapy

use of biologic agents to prevent or treat disease by stimulating the body’s own defense mechanisms, as seen in the treatment of AIDS, cancer, or allergy

plasmapheresis

removal of plasma from the body with separation and extraction of specific elements (e.g., platelets) followed by reinfusion (apheresis = a withdrawal)

anticoagulant

a drug that prevents clotting of the blood

hemostatic

a drug that stops the flow of blood within the vessels

vasoconstrictor

a drug that causes a narrowing of blood vessels, thereby decreasing blood flow

vasodilator

a drug that causes dilation of blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow