Anatomy And Disease

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Disease

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Any deviation from or interruption of the normal structure or function of any part, organ or system (or any combination thereof) of the body that is manifested by a characteristic set of symptoms and signs, and whose etiology, pathology, and prognosis may be known or unknown.

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deficiency

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A lack or defect. Many diseases are caused by a lack of some vital chemical substance or compound, such as red blood cells (anemia) or oxygen (hypoxia).

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degenerative

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Pertaining to deterioration. Going from a normal form to a lower or more dysfunctional form. The deterioration of certain structures or tissues leads to many different diseases, such as degenerative joint disease or Alzheimer disease.

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developmental

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Occurs as a result of some abnormality in the development of tissue, an organ, or body part. These are usually characterized as disorders which occur before birth or during the growth stages, such as osteodystrophy.

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essential

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Term assigned to diseases for which the cause is unknown. It is assumed that it arises spontaneously, such as essential hypertension.

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familial

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Occurring in or affecting more members of a family than would be expected by chance, such as familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

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functional

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Due to a disturbance of function without evidence of a structural or chemical abnormality. An example is menorrhea or menorrhagia that cannot be explained by fibroids, endometriosis, infection, or some other obvious cause.

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hereditary

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Means genetically transmitted from parent to offspring. This term should be familiar. As with any trait—eye color, hair color, height, etc.—diseases can be genetically transferred. Examples include hemophilia, dyslexia, and asthma.

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idiopathic

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Of unknown cause, arising spontaneously, such as idiopathic cardiomyopathy.

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infectious

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Caused by an infection. (Doesn’t that state the obvious?) An infection is the invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissue. There are many different types of bacteria that cause infection and infective diseases, such as pneumonia and mononucleosis. Other infectious agents are viruses and fungi.

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molecular

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Caused by abnormality in the chemical structure or concentration of a single molecule (the smallest amount of a substance which can exist alone), usually a protein or enzyme. Molecular diseases are often also congenital, such as sickle cell anemia.

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neoplastic

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Pertaining to any new and abnormal growth, specifically a new growth of tissue which is progressive and uncontrolled. These growths are generally called tumors. A neoplasm can be either benign or malignant. Malignant means tending to become progressively worse, resulting in death. Benign is simply the opposite of malignant. Cancer is a neoplastic disease.

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nutritional

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Causation is due to nutritional factors, either insufficient or excessive dietary intake. Common nutritional diseases are eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia nervosa. Scurvy and rickets are examples of diseases caused by poor nutrition and/or vitamin deficiency.

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organic

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Due to a demonstrable abnormality in a bodily structure, such as a heart murmur.

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traumatic

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Resulting from some type of injury: physical, chemical, or psychological. Many pathologies fall into this category, such as fractures, burns, dislocations, cuts, injuries from motor vehicle or other accidents, war wounds, or the psychological effects of abuse, war or rape, leading to diseases such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

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acquired

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Patient was not born with it (it was not hereditary or congenital). Recently the most talked about disease of this type is AIDS—which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

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acute

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One which has a short and relatively severe course. A patient with an acute illness has not been experiencing symptoms for very long. Acute appendicitis, for example, is common. This is inflammation of the appendix which develops quickly and often necessitates surgery because of the likelihood of the appendix bursting. (Of note, this does not refer to how a disease looks—a cute little disease.)

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asymptomatic

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Having no symptoms. Although generally individuals do not go to a doctor or hospital when they are not experiencing symptoms, underlying asymptomatic diseases are often discovered during examinations which are either routine or being performed for a different reason.

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chronic

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Persisting over a long period of time. This is the opposite of an acute illness. A chronic condition can last for years and sometimes a lifetime. An example is chronic bronchitis, which results in daily or constant coughing and changes in the lung tissue.

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congenital

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Present at birth. This differs from a hereditary condition in that it is not necessarily inherited from the parents. Occasionally infants are born with congenital heart defects which can require surgery or lead to death.

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disabling

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Causes impairment of normal functions, such as sight, hearing, mobility, or breathing.

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end-stage

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A progressively deteriorating condition, such as end-stage liver disease, that has reached a point of terminal functional impairment of the affected organ or system.

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intermittent

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Causes symptoms at intervals with periods of time between them with no symptoms. Most coughs, for example, are intermittent.

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malignant

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Tending to become progressively worse and eventually causing death. This is usually attributed to types of tumors or cancers but can also describe other problems, such as malignant hypertension.

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neonatal

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Affecting newborns, especially common in prematurely born infants. Neonatal also simply has reference to newborns, not necessarily connoting disease.

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paroxysmal

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A sudden recurrence or intensification of symptoms; a seizure or attack. Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, for example, is a nighttime attack of breathing difficulty.

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progressive

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Advancing, going forward; going from bad to worse; increasing in severity. This is a disease that becomes worse over time. For many people, vision becomes progressively worse throughout their lives.

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recurrent

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Reappears after it has apparently gone away. Cancer patients are consistently rechecked to see if there has been any recurrence after they have stopped showing signs of disease.

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relapsing

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The return of a disease after its apparent cessation. This means basically the same thing as recurrent.

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remissive

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Most or all of the symptoms have gone away. They can disappear either spontaneously or because of treatment, and the disappearance can be either temporary or permanent.

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sequela

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A condition resulting from a prior disease, injury, or attack. For example, a sequela of chickenpox.

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subacute

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Refers to an illness that is neither acute nor chronic, but is somewhere in between.

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terminal

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Expected to end in death regardless of treatment.

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Chemical

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The smallest components. For example, atoms and molecules. Atoms such as nitrogen, oxygen, and calcium are essential to the maintenance of life. These atoms combine to form molecules in the body. Examples of molecules are proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins.

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Cellular

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Molecules combine together to form the cellular level. The cells of the body are the basic structural and functional units of an organism. Examples of cells in the body include muscle cells, nerve cells, and blood cells.

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Tissue

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Tissues are made up of groups of cells and the materials surrounding them. They work together to perform specific functions. There are four types of tissues in your body. The four types of tissue are: epithilal, muscle, connective and nervous.

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epithelial

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Protective tissue found in the linings of cavities and organs and as part of the integumentary system, or skin. This tissue helps to protect the structures it lines from injury and fluid loss.

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muscle

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Responsible for all of the movement of the body. It is subdivided into divisions of skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle. Skeletal muscle is made of long fibers and is the tissue that allows for voluntary body movements. Smooth muscle lines the internal organs and carries out primarily involuntary body movements that assist in organ function. Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart and is specifically designed to maintain heartbeat and blood flow.

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connective

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Tissue that binds the body together and supports posture and function. This tissue is divided into three subtypes depending on function. Supporting connective tissue consists of the bones and cartilage of the body, which give the body support and base structure. Binding connective tissue is defined as the tendons and ligaments—thick strong tissue that binds muscle to bone and bones to each other. Fibrous connective tissue is also a binding material, though instead of connecting other connective tissues, this tissue connects muscles together and binds the skin to the rest of the body. Adipose, or fat cells, are part of this subdivision serving as a cushioning layer to protect the body.

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nervous

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Composed of nerves and is the communication system of the body, passing electronic messages from the brain. This allows for all motor functions both voluntary and involuntary.

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Organ

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The different kinds of tissue discussed above combine to form the organ level. The organs are composed of two or more types of these tissues. Each organ has specific functions and recognizable shapes. Some examples of organs are the heart, lungs, brain, liver, and kidneys.

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System

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A system is made up of several organs that have a common function. For example, the organs that are a part of the digestive system break down and absorb food. These organs include the mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Some organs can be part of more than one system. For example, the pancreas is part of both the digestive system and the endocrine system.

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Organism

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The largest structural level is the organism level. All the parts which make up the body and function with each other form the total organism (one living individual).

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skeletal muscle

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The primary muscle used to allow voluntary movement of the body, usually attached to the skeleton by tendons.

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smooth muscle

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The muscle that lines the walls of internal organs. This muscle is usually short in its strands and allows for the movement of body fluids and waste through the internal systems.

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cardiac muscle

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This type of muscle is found only in the heart.

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anterior

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Situated in front of or toward the front of a body part or organ. Term also used in reference to ventral or belly surface of the body. Frontal is a common synonym for anterior.

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coronal

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Division of the body into anterior and posterior sections. Also called frontal plane. Can mean pertaining to the head or the crown.

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distal

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Remote; farther from the trunk of the body or attachment point; opposite of proximal. (The elbow is proximal to the wrist but distal to the shoulder).

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dorsal

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Pertaining to the back; also used to denote a position that is more toward the back than another object of reference. Sometimes called posterior.

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inferior

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Situated below or directed downward; also used to denote the lower portion of an organ or the lower of two structures. Sometimes called caudal.

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lateral

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Pertaining to the side; denoting a position farther from the midline (median plane) of a structure.

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medial

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Pertaining to the middle; closer to the midline of a body; pertaining to the middle layer.

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posterior

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Situated in the back; also used in reference to the back or dorsal surface of the body.

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proximal

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Near; closer to the trunk of the body or attachment point; opposite of distal. (The elbow is proximal to the wrist but distal to the shoulder).

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sagittal

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Division of body into left and right sides in a vertical lengthwise fashion.

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transverse

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A horizontal plane situated at right angles to the long axis, or sagittal and coronal planes; placed crosswise.

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ventral

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Pertaining to the abdomen; used to denote a position that is more toward the belly/abdominal surface than some other object of reference.

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anterior combining form

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antero

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distal combining form

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disto

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dorsal combining form

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dorso/ dorsi

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inerior combining form

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infero

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lateral combining form

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letero

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medial combining form

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medio

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posterior combining form

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postero

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superior combining form

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supero

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ventral combining form

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ventro/ ventri

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lateral longitudinal arch

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a very low arch, arching just enough to redistribute some body weight to the calcaneus and the head of the fifth metatarsal

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medial longitudinal arch

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the predominant arch in the foot. It runs from the base of the calcaneus up to the talus, and down again to the three medial metatarsals.

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transverse arch

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formed at the base of the metatarsals (between the tarsals and the metatarsals) and extends from the medial to the lateral sides of the foot

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calcaneus

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(heel bone) is the strongest bone in the foot. It forms the outer part of the ankle and extends back to form the heel. It acts as a shock absorber and bears the immediate stress placed on the foot while walking.

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long bones

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Long bones are bones whose length is greater than their width, such as the bones of the extremities (tibia, fibula, femur, radius, ulna, humerus).

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short bones

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Short bones are shaped more like cubes and are generally found in the ankle and wrist (carpus and tarsus).

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flat bones

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Flat bones are found in the cranial vault, sternum (breastbone), shoulder blades, and ribs. Flat bones are made up of a layer of marrow (diploe) sandwiched between two layers of compact bone.

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irregular bones

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Irregular bones are a mix of irregularly shaped bones that do not fall into any of the other bone-type categories. They are found in the face, spinal column, and hips.

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sesamoid bones

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Sesamoid bones are mostly rounded masses embedded in certain tendons and are usually related to the surfaces of joints. Included in this group are the patella (kneecap), metacarpophalangeal joints of the hands, and metatarsophalangeal joints of the toes.

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wormian bones

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Wormian bones are small bones found between suture lines of the skull where the edges of the skull bones are joined together.