Module 2: Not Built Terms

transverse

horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior portions

Fowler position

semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees

lithotomy position

lying on back with legs raised and feet in stirrups, hips and knees flexed, thighs abducted and externally rotated

orthopnea position

sitting erect in a chair or sitting upright in bed supported by pillows behind the head and chest

prone position

lying on abdomen, facing downward (head may be turned to one side)

recumbent position

lying down in any position

Sims position

lying on left side with right knee drawn up and with left arm drawn behind, parallel to the back

supine position

lying on back, facing upward

Trendelenburg position

lying on back with body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet

umbilical region (1)

around the navel (umbilicus)

lumbar regions (2)

to the right and left of the umbilical region, near the waist

epigastric region (1)

superior to the umbilical region

hypochondriac regions(2)

to the right and left of the epigastric region

hypogastric region (1)

inferior to the umbilical region

iliac regions (2)

to the right and left of the hypogastric region, near the groin

right upper quadrant

refers to the area encompassing the right lobe of the liver, the gallbladder, medial portion of the pancreas, and portions of the small and large intestines

left upper quadrant

refers to the area encompassing the left lobe of the liver, the stomach, the spleen, lateral portion of the pancreas, and portions of the small and large intestines

right lower quadrant

refers to the area encompassing portions of the small and large intestines, the appendix, the right ureter, and the right ovary and uterine tube in women or the right spermatic duct in men

left lower quadrant

refers to the area encompassing portions of the small and large intestines, the left ureter, and the left ovary and uterine tube in women or the left spermatic duct in men

apoptosis

programmed cell death, a mechanism for cell deletion to regulate cell population, or destroy damaged or defective cells. Some cancers disrupt apoptosis; cells lose their ability to die and live forever

benign

not malignant, nonrecurrent, favorable for recovery

biological therapy

treatment of cancer with biological response modifiers that work with the immune system

carcinoma in situ

cancer in the early stage before invading surrounding tissue

chemotherapy

treatment of cancer with drugs

encapsulated

enclosed within a capsule, as with benign or malignant tumors that have not spread beyond the capsule of the organ in which it originated

exacerbation

increase in the severity of a disease or its symptoms

hospice

provides palliative or supportive care for terminally ill patients and their families

idiopathic

pertaining to disease of unknown origin

inflammation

localized protective response to injury or tissue destruction characterized by redness, swelling, heat, and pain

in vitro

within a glass, observable within a test tube

in vivo

within the living body

malignant

tending to become progressively worse and to cause death, as in cancer

morbidity

state of being diseased or unwell; incidence of illness in a population

mortality

state of being mortal (death); incidence of the number of deaths in a population

palliative

providing relief but not cure

radiation therapy

treatment of cancer with a radioactive substance, x-ray, or radiation

remission

improvement or absence of signs of disease

sagittal

A plane that divides the body into right and left portions.

parasagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into unequal left and right sides

frontal/coronal plane

vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions

midsagittal

the plane dividing the body into equal right and left halves

acute

describing a disease of sudden onset

afebrile

without fever

biopsy

removal of living tissue from body - viewed under microscope

chronic

describing a persistent or longer-term (3 months or more) disease

deep

situated far below the surface

febrile

having a fever

lateral recumbent position

lying on side; right and left precede the term to indicate the patient's side

lethargy

general lack of energy

malaise

general feeling of discomfort

midline

imaginary line down the center of the body

sign

a symptom that can be detected by others (than the patient); objective in nature

superficial

situated near the surface

symptom

what is experienced by the patient; subjective in nature