Medterms I, J, K, & L

Front 1

Iatrogenic

Back 1

Pertaining to a patient’s abnormal condition that results unexpectedly from a specific treatment.

Front 2

Ileostomy

Back 2

New opening of the ileum (this part of the small intestine) to the outside of the body.

Front 3

Ileum

Back 3

Third part of the small intestines.

Front 4

Ilium

Back 4

Side, high portion of the hip bone (pelvis).

Front 5

Incision

Back 5

Cutting into the body or into an organ.

Front 6

Infarction

Back 6

Area of dead tissue (necrosis) caused by decreased blood flow to that part of the body.

Front 7

Infectious disease specialist

Back 7

Physician who treats disorders caused and spread by microorganisms such as bacteria.

Front 8

Infiltrate

Back 8

Material that accumulates in an organ. The term infiltrate often describes solid material and fluid collection in the lungs.

Front 9

Inflammatory bowel disease

Back 9

Disorder of the small and large intestines marked by bouts or diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and fever. Inflammatory bowel diseases include CROHN’S DISEASE and ULCERATIVE COLITIS.

Front 10

Inguinal

Back 10

Pertaining to the groin or the area where the legs meet the body. Inguinal lymph nodes are located in the groin.

Front 11

Insulin

Back 11

Hormone produced by the pancreas and released into the bloodstream. Insulin allows sugar to leave and enter body cells.

Front 12

Insulin pump

Back 12

Portable, battery-powered device that delivers insulin through the abdominal wall in measured amounts.

Front 13

Internal medicine

Back 13

Branch of medicine specializing in the diagnosis of disorders and treatment with drugs.

Front 14

Intervertebral

Back 14

Pertaining to lying between two backbones. A disk (disc) is an intervertebral structure.

Front 15

Intra-abdominal

Back 15

Pertaining to within the abdomen.

Front 16

Intracranial

Back 16

Pertaining to within the skull

Front 17

Intrauterine

Back 17

Pertaining to within the uterus

Front 18

Intravenous

Back 18

Pertaining to within a vein.

Front 19

Intravenous pyelogram

Back 19

X-ray record of the kidney (PYEL/O- means renal pelvis) after contrast is injected into a vein.

Front 20

Intravesical

Back 20

Pertaining to within the urinary bladder.

Front 21

Iris

Back 21

Colored (pigmented) portion of the eye.

Front 22

Ischemia

Back 22

Deficiency of blood flow to a part of the body, caused by narrowing or obstruction of blood vessels.

Front 23

Jaundice

Back 23

Orange-yellow coloration of the skin and other tissues. A symptom caused by accumulation of BILRUBIN (pigment) in the blood.

Front 24

Jejunum

Back 24

Second part of the small intestine.

Front 25

Joint

Back 25

Place where two or more bones come together (articulate).

Front 26

Kidney

Back 26

One of two organs located behind the abdomen that produces urine by filtering wastes from the blood.

Front 27

Laminectomy

Back 27

Removal of a piece of a backbone (lamina) to relieve pressure on nerves from a herniating disk (disc).

Front 28

Laparoscope

Back 28

Instrument to visually examine the abdomen. An endoscope is inserted through a small incision in the abdominal wall.

Front 29

Laparoscopic appendectomy

Back 29

Removal of the appendix through a small incision in the abdominal wall.

Front 30

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Back 30

Removal of the gallbladder through a small incision in the abdomen and with the use of a laparoscopic instrument.

Front 31

Laparoscopy

Back 31

Visual examination of the abdomen. A small incision is made near the naval, and an instrument (endoscope) is inserted to view abdominal organs.

Front 32

Laparotomy

Back 32

Incision of the abdomen. A surgeon makes a large incision across the abdomen to examine and operate on its organs.

Front 33

Large intestine

Back 33

Part of the intestine that receives undigested material from the small intestine and transports it out of the body; the COLON.

Front 34

Laryngeal

Back 34

Pertaining to the larynx (voice box).

Front 35

Laryngectomy

Back 35

Removal of the larynx.

Front 36

Laryngoscopy

Back 36

Visual examination of the interior of the voice box (larynx) with an endoscope.

Front 37

Laryngotracheitis

Back 37

Inflammation of the larynx and the trachea (wind pipe).

Front 38

Lateral

Back 38

Pertaining to the side.

Front 39

LDL

Back 39

See LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROEIN.

Front 40

Leiomyoma

Back 40

Benign tumor derived from smooth (involuntary) muscle and most often of the uterus (leiomyoma uteri) LEIOMY/O- means smooth, visceral, or involuntary muscle.

Front 41

Leiomyosarcoma

Back 41

Malignant tumor of smooth (involuntary) muscle.

Front 42

Lens

Back 42

Structure behind the pupil of the eye. The lens bends light rays so that they are properly focused on the RETINA at the back of the eye.

Front 43

Lesion

Back 43

Damage to a part of the body, caused by disease or trauma.

Front 44

Leukemia

Back 44

Increase in malignant (cancerous) white blood cells in blood and bone marrow.

Front 45

Leukocyte

Back 45

White blood cell.

Front 46

Leukocytosis

Back 46

Slight increase in the numbers of normal white blood cells as a response to infection.

Front 47

Ligament

Back 47

Connective tissue that joins bones to other bones.

Front 48

Ligamentous

Back 48

Pertaining to a LIGAMENT.

Front 49

Liposarcoma

Back 49

Malignant tumor of fatty tissue.

Front 50

Lithotripsy

Back 50

Process of crushing a stone in the urinary tract using ultrasonic vibrations. Also called extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL).

Front 51

Liver

Back 51

Organ in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The liver produces BILE, stores sugar, and produces blood-clotting proteins.

Front 52

Lobe

Back 52

Part of an organ, especially of the brain, lungs or glands.

Front 53

Low-density lipoprotein

Back 53

Combination of lipid (fat) and protein. It has a high CHOLESEROL content and is associated with forming plaques in arteries.

Front 54

Lower gastrointestinal (GI) series

Back 54

Barium is injected into the anus and rectum and x-rays are taken of the colon (large intestine).

Front 55

Lumbar

Back 55

Pertaining to the loins; part of the back and sides between the chest and the hip.

Front 56

Lumbar puncture

Back 56

Removal of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic analysis or occasionally as treatment to relieve increased intracranial pressure.

Front 57

Lumbar region

Back 57

Pertaining to the backbones that lie between the thoracic (chest) and sacral (lower back) vertebrae.

Front 58

Lumbar vertebra

Back 58

A backbone in the region between the chest and lower back.

Front 59

Lung

Back 59

One of two paired organs in the chest through which oxygen enters and carbon dioxide leaves the body.

Front 60

Lung capillaries

Back 60

Tiny blood vessels surrounding lung tissue and through which gases pass into and out of the bloodstream.

Front 61

Lupus erythematosus

Back 61

See SYSTEMIS LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS.

Front 62

Lymph

Back 62

Clear fluid that is found in lymph vessels and produced from fluid surrounding cells. Lymph contains white blood cells (lymphocytes) that fight disease.

Front 63

Lymphadenectomy

Back 63

Removal of LYMPH NODES.

Front 64

Lymphanopathy

Back 64

Disease of lymph nodes (gland).

Front 65

Lymphangiectasis

Back 65

Dilation (-ECTASIS) of small lymph vessels; often resulting from obstruction in large lymph nodes.

Front 66

Lymphatic system

Back 66

Group of organs (lymph vessels, lymph nodes, spleen, thymus) composed of lymphatic tissue hat produce lymphocytes to defend the body against foreign organisms.

Front 67

Lymphatic vessels

Back 67

Tubes that carry lymph from tissues to the bloodstream (into a vein in the neck region); lymph vessels.

Front 68

Lymphedema

Back 68

Accumulation of fluid in tissue spaces, causing swelling. Lymphedema is caused by the obstruction of lymph nodes or vessels.

Front 69

Lymph nodes

Back 69

Stationary collection of lymph cells, found all over the body. Lymph nodes are sometimes called lymph “glands.”

Front 70

Lymphocyte

Back 70

White blood cell that is found within lymph and lymph nodes. T cells and B cells are types of lymphocytes.

Front 71

Lymphoid

Back 71

Resembling or pertaining to lymph tissue.

Front 72

Lymphoma

Back 72

Malignant tumor of lymphatic tissue. Previously called lymphosarcoma. There are several other types, including Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.