pathology test final

What is the definition of pathology?

Pathology is the study (logos) of suffering (pathos)

What is the purpose of the Rule of Nines in medical evaluation?

It is used to express the extent of a burn as a percentage of total body surface area in living individuals

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to the head?

9 percent

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to each upper extremity?

9 percent each

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to the front of the torso?

18 percent

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to the back of the torso?

18 percent

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to each lower extremity?

18 percent each

According to the Rule of Nines, what percentage of body surface area is assigned to the genitals?

1 percent

How many degrees of burn severity are recognized in pathology?

Four degrees

What are the characteristics of a first-degree (superficial) burn?

Red skin without blisters

What are the characteristics of a second-degree (partial-thickness) burn?

Moist, red, and blistered skin that eventually heals without scarring

What are the characteristics of a third-degree burn?

Necrosis of the epidermis and dermis, no blisters, charred/brown/black appearance, and heals with a scar

What are the characteristics of a fourth-degree burn?

Incineration injuries extending deep into tissues, including total soft-tissue evacuation

In terms of burn degrees, how is cremation classified?

As a fourth-degree burn involving total soft-tissue evacuation

What is the medical definition of an infection?

The state or condition in which the body or a part of it is invaded by a pathogenic agent that, under favorable conditions, multiplies and produces injurious effects

In pathology, what is a sign of a disease?

An objective disturbance produced by disease that is observed by a physician, nurse, or person attending the patient (e.g., pulse, fever, heart rate)

In pathology, what is a symptom of a disease?

A subjective disturbance caused by disease that is felt or experienced by the patient but not directly measurable (e.g., pain, headache)

What is a congenital disease?

A disease existing at the time of birth or shortly thereafter

What is an acquired disease?

A disease that presents itself after birth

What is the definition of an idiopathic disease?

A disease of unknown cause (e.g., Essential Hypertension)

What is the definition of an iatrogenic disease or disorder?

A condition that results from the adverse activity of medical personnel

What is a nosocomial infection?

An infection acquired in a hospital

What is osmotic pressure?

The pressure that develops when two solutions of different concentrations are separated by a semipermeable membrane

What is necrosis?

The pathological death of a tissue while it is still a part of the living organism

What are the characteristics of caseous necrosis?

It is cheese-like necrosis characterized by pink areas of necrotic tissue surrounded by inflammatory granules

What is atrophy?

A wasting or decrease in size of an organ or tissue

What is hyperplasia?

The increased size of an organ or part due to the excessive but regulated increase in the number of its cells

What is hypertrophy?

The enlargement of an organ or part due to an increase in the size of the cells composing it

What is metaplasia?

The replacement of one type of tissue into a form that is not normally found there

What is regeneration in tissue repair?

The replacement of damaged cells with identical cells

What is hypoplasia?

Underdevelopment of a tissue, organ, or the body

What is amelia?

A congenital anomaly defined as the complete absence of one or more limbs

What is polydactylism?

A congenital defect defined as the presence of one or more extra fingers or toes

What is phocomelia?

A congenital condition in which the proximal portions of the limbs are poorly developed or absent

What is a congenital anomaly?

Any development of an organ or structure that is abnormal in form, structure, or position

What is a malformation?

Any developmental anomaly

What is aplasia?

The complete failure of a tissue or an organ to develop

What is the definition of inflammation, and what are its signs and symptoms?

A tissue reaction to irritation, infection, or injury marked by localized heat, swelling, redness, pain, and sometimes loss of function

What is vasoconstriction?

A decrease in the diameter of a blood vessel

What is chemotaxis in the inflammatory response?

The movement of white blood cells into an area of inflammation in response to the release of chemical mediators by neutrophils, monocytes, and injured tissues

What is phagocytosis?

A process in which phagocytes engulf and destroy microorganisms, other foreign antigens, or cell debris

What is an abscess?

A localized accumulation of pus

What is an ulcer?

An open sore or lesion of skin or mucous membrane accompanied by sloughing of inflamed necrotic tissue

What is a vesicle?

A blister-like elevation of the skin containing serous fluid

What is a furuncle (boil)?

An abscess or pustular infection of a sweat gland or hair follicle

What is a carbuncle?

Several communicating boils of the skin and subcutaneous tissues that produce and discharge pus and dead tissue

What is a pustule in terms of skin lesions?

A small elevation of the skin containing pus

What is ascites, and what can cause it?

The accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. It may be caused by interference in venous return (as in congestive heart failure), obstruction of the vena cava or portal vein, obstruction in lymphatic drainage, liver cirrhosis, cancer, electrolyte imbalance, or peritoneal infections

What is hydrothorax?

A collection of fluid in the pleural cavity causing shortness of breath (dyspnea)

What is a hydrocele?

Edema of the scrotum

What is hydropericardium, and what are its symptoms?

Edema of the pericardial sac surrounding the heart, characterized by chest pain, diminished cardiac function with heart failure signs, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), and shortness of breath (dyspnea)

What is pitting edema?

Edema usually of the extremities where, when pressed firmly with a finger, the skin maintains the depression produced

What is pulmonary edema?

A potentially life-threatening accumulation of fluid in the lungs that inhibits oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange

What is hyperemia?

An excess of blood in an area of the body

What is the difference between active and passive hyperemia?

Active hyperemia is increased arterial blood supply to an organ for physiologic reasons, while passive hyperemia is the engorgement of an organ or tissue with venous blood due to inadequate venous drainage

What is the difference between ischemia and hypoxia?

Ischemia is a reduction in arterial blood supply, whereas hypoxia is a decrease in the level of oxygen within the tissues

What is the difference between thrombosis and an embolism?

Thrombosis is the formation or presence of an attached blood clot, while an embolism is a free-floating object in the bloodstream

What is a petechia?

An antemortem, pinpoint, extravascular blood discoloration visible as purplish hemorrhages of the skin

What is an ecchymosis?

A small, non-elevated hemorrhagic patch caused by the extravasation of blood into a tissue

What is epistaxis?

Bleeding from the nose

What is hemoptysis?

Blood in the sputum

What is hematemesis?

Vomiting of blood

What is melena?

Blood in the stool

What is hematuria?

Discharge of red blood cells in the urine

What is exsanguination?

Loss of blood to the point where life can no longer be sustained

What is a neoplasm (tumor)?

The abnormal, excessive, and uncontrolled multiplication of cells with the formation of a mass or new growth of tissue

What is the difference between benign and malignant neoplasms?

Benign tumors are non-cancerous, do not spread, and can be removed with surgery. Malignant tumors are cancerous and cause destruction of surrounding tissues as they grow

What is a pituitary adenoma?

A slow-growing, benign neoplasm of epithelial origin arising from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland capable of producing systemic disorders

What is a papilloma?

A wartlike benign epithelial tumor caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause tissue changes on the feet, hands, vocal cords, face, and genitals

What is a polyp?

A benign epithelial growth found on the lining of the intestinal tract, trachea, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, or colon ranging from millimeters to centimeters

What is an osteoma?

A benign connective tissue tumor originating in or consisting of bone tissue, found mostly on bones of the face, skull, clavicle, pelvis, eye, tongue, or extremities

What is a chondroma?

A rare, benign connective tissue tumor that tends to arise at the base of the skull near the pituitary gland

What is a lipoma?

A benign tumor composed of fat cells that can occur in any adipose tissue

What is an angioma?

A benign tumor consisting of blood or lymph vessels located anywhere on the body

What is a fibroma?

A category of benign tumor composed of fibrous tissue (e.g., ossifying fibromas which are firm, gritty, and involve the maxilla/mandible)

What is a rhabdomyoma?

A benign cardiac muscle tumor that is the most common primary cardiac tumor in fetuses, neonates, and young children

What is a leiomyoma?

A benign tumor arising from smooth muscle that can develop anywhere smooth muscle is present

What is a neuroma?

A benign tumor of nervous tissue (e.g., acoustic neuroma on the eighth cranial nerve)

What is melanoma?

A serious form of skin cancer that begins in the melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin pigment

What is squamous cell carcinoma?

The second most common skin cancer, arising from the epidermis and resembling squamous cells in outer skin layers

What is adenocarcinoma?

A malignant epithelial tumor with tubular, acinar, or papillary growth patterns, or mucus production by tumor cells

What is transitional cell carcinoma?

The most common cancer of the urinary system, arising from the transitional epithelium lining the urinary tract

What is basal cell carcinoma?

The most common form of skin cancer and the most common of all human cancers

What is an osteosarcoma?

An aggressive, rapidly growing malignant bone tumor that often spreads to the lungs in early stages, appearing as hard white tissue with fleshlike bleeding areas

What is a chondrosarcoma?

A type of bone cancer primarily affecting cartilage cells in the femur, arm, pelvis, knee, and spine

What is a liposarcoma?

A fatty cancerous tumor growing in deep connective tissue spaces (popliteal space, medial thigh, retroperitoneal region, shoulder area)

What is an angiosarcoma?

An uncommon, rapidly growing malignant neoplasm arising from blood or lymphatic vessel cells

What is a fibrosarcoma?

A large, destructive, infiltrating malignant tumor of the bone consisting of fibrous tissue

What is a lymphoma?

A malignant tumor of lymphoid tissue resulting from a mutation during lymphocyte production

What is a rhabdomyosarcoma?

A rare, fast-growing malignant muscle tumor accounting for over half of all soft tissue sarcomas in children

What is a leiomyosarcoma?

A malignant neoplasm of smooth muscle that commonly metastasizes to the lungs or liver

What is a glioma?

A form of brain cancer arising from supporting glial cells in the brain

What is the most common of all cancers in humans?

Basal Cell Carcinoma

What is the difference between leukocytosis, leukopenia, and leukemia?

Leukocytosis is an increase in white blood cells. Leukopenia is an abnormal reduction in white blood cells. Leukemia is a disease characterized by massive numbers of immature and abnormal white blood cells

What is anemia?

A blood disorder in which the oxygen-transport capacity of the blood is decreased, usually due to a diminished total number of red blood cells

What causes aplastic anemia?

Improper growth or impaired function of the bone marrow

What causes hemolytic anemia?

The permanent hemolysis or rupturing of red blood cells

What causes pernicious anemia?

Failure of the body to produce enough intrinsic factor, an intestinal chemical required to absorb vitamin B12

What is sickle cell anemia?

A hereditary chronic anemia characterized by large numbers of crescent- or sickle-shaped red blood cells

What is polycythemia vera?

An abnormal increase in total red blood cell mass