Hepatology Glossary

• Abdomen
  The belly , that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis . The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm , the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity below the lungs .
• Abdominal
  Relating to the abdomen, the belly , that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis . The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm , the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity below the lungs .
• Abdominal pain
  Pain in the belly (the abdomen). Abdominal pain can come from conditions affecting a variety of organs. The abdomen is an anatomical area that is bounded by the lower margin of the ribs above, the pelvic bone (pubic ramus) below, and the flanks on each side. Although abdominal pain can arise from the tissues of the abdominal wall that surround the abdominal cavity (the skin and abdominal wall muscles), the term abdominal pain generally is used to describe pain originating from organs within the abdominal cavity (from beneath the skin and muscles). These organs include the stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
• Abnormal
  Not normal. Deviating from the usual structure, position, condition, or behavior. In referring to a growth, abnormal may mean that it is cancerous or premalignant (likely to become cancer ).
• Absorption
  the degree and speed at which a drug enters the bloodstream from the small intestine
• Acquired
  Anything that is not present at birth but develops some time later. In medicine, the word "acquired" implies "new" or "added." An acquired condition is "new" in the sense that it is not genetic (inherited) and "added" in the sense that was not present at birth.
• Acute
  Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness that is of short duration, rapidly progressive, and in need of urgent care.
• Acute liver failure
  A sudden onset of liver failure in a previously healthy person.
• Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
  reversible kidney damage resulting in delayed kidney function. Among other factors, it may be caused by quality of donor organ, time of organ storage before transplantation, or medications to prevent rejection.
• Adipose
  Adipose means "fat" but is usually used to refer specifically to tissue made up of mainly fat cells such as the yellow layer of fat beneath the skin.
• Albumin
  Protein produced by the liver.&xnbsp; It is also a measure of liver function.
• Alcohol
  An organic chemical in which one or more hydroxyl (OH) groups are attached to carbon (C) atoms in place of hydrogen (H) atoms. Common alcohols include ethyl alcohol or ethanol (found in alcoholic beverages), methyl alcohol or methanol (can cause blindness) and propyl alcohol or propanol (used as a solvent and antiseptic ). Rubbing alcohol is a mixture of acetone , methyl isobutyl ketone, and ethyl alcohol. In everyday talk, alcohol usually refers to ethanol as, for example, in wine, beer, and liquor. It can cause changes in behavior and be addictive.
• Alkaline phosphatase
  an enzyme produced by liver (and other) cells; elevated blood levels of this substance may indicate abnormal function of the liver or other organs
• Allograft (allogenetic graft or homograft)
  a graft between two individuals who are of the same species (eg. human) but have genetic differences
• Analogous
  In anatomy, similar in appearance or function but otherwise different. Two structures may be analogous if they serve the same purpose but differ evolutionary in origin as, for example, human and insect legs. As compared to homologous.
• Anesthetic
  medication that reduces pain by dulling sensation
• Antacid
  a drug that aids in protecting the digestive system and relieves heartburn and digestive discomfort
• Antibiotics
  Antibiotics destroy or block the growth of bacteria that cause infection. Hundreds of antibiotics are available, including penicillins (Amoxil, Amcil, and Augmentin), clindamycin, cephalosporins (Keflex and Ceclor), tetracyclines (Minocin, Sumycin, and Vibramycin), quinolones (Cipro), and sulfa drugs (Bactrim).
• Antibody
  a protein produced by the body to eliminate foreign substances, such as bacteria
• Antigen
  a foreign molecule or substance, such as a transplant, that triggers an immune response. This response may be the production of antibodies, which, in turn, try to inactivate or destroy the antigen (transplanted organ)
• Antioxidant
  a substance (vitamin, mineral, phytochemical) found in foods that can protect the cells from harmful free radicals.
• Artery
  A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the farthest reaches of the body. Since blood in arteries is usually full of oxygen, the hemoglobin in the red blood cells is oxygenated. The resultant form of hemoglobin (oxyhemoglobin) is what makes arterial blood look bright red.
• Ascites
  Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Ascites can occur as a result of a number of conditions, including severe liver disease and the presence of malignant cells within the abdomen.
• AST
  1. Aspartate aminotransferase, an enzyme normally present in liver and heart cells. AST is released into blood when the liver or heart is damaged. The blood AST levels are thus elevated with liver damage (for example, from viral hepatitis) or with an insult to the heart (for example, from a heart attack). Some medications can also raise AST levels. AST is also known as serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT). 2. Androgen suppression therapy.
• Asymptomatic
  Without symptoms. For example, an asymptomatic infection is an infection with no symptoms.
• Autoimmune
  Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the immune system goes awry and attacks the body itself.
• Autoimmune hepatitis
  A disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells, causing inflammation of the liver (hepatitis). If not treated, autoimmune hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis (scarring and hardening) of the liver and eventually to liver failure.
• B Cell
  a specialized white blood cell responsible for the body's immunity. B cells play a central role in antibody production
• Benign
  Not cancer. Not malignant . A benign tumor does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor may grow but it stays put (in the same place).
• Bile
  Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder and passes through the common bile duct into the duodenum where it helps digest fat. The principal components of bile are cholesterol, bile salts, and the pigment bilirubin.
• Bile acid
  An acid made by the liver that works with bile to break down fats.
• Bile duct
  A&xnbsp;duct that carries bile from the liver to the intestine.
• Bile leak
  a hole in the bile-duct system that causes bile to spill into the abdominal cavity
• Biliary atresia
  A disease of the liver that destroys bile ducts; it is progressive and life threatening.
• Bilirubin
  A yellow-orange compound produced by the breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells. Elevated levels of bilirubin turn the skin a yellowish color (jaundice).
• Billiary stenosis
  narrowing or constriction of a bile duct
• Billiary tree
  all passageways inside and outside the liver that carry bile to the intestines
• Bioavailability
  a measure of how much of an administered drug is absorbed into the bloodstream, actually reaching the intended site of action in the body. For example, medicine is absorbed from the GI tract, travels through the bloodstream, and reaches the organ tissues, where it works to fight infection, prevent rejection, etc.
• Biochemical
  Relating to biochemistry, the application of the tools and concepts of chemistry to living systems.
• Biopsy
  The removal of a sample of tissue for purposes of diagnosis. (Many definitions of "biopsy" stipulate that the sample of tissue is removed for examination under a microscope. This may or may not be the case. The diagnosis may be achieved by other means such as by analysis of chromosomes or genes.)
• Blood glucose
  The main sugar that the body makes from the food in the diet. Glucose is carried through the bloodstream to provide energy to all cells in the body. Cells cannot use glucose without the help of insulin .
• Brain death
  when the brain has permanently stopped working, as determined by a neurological surgeon, artificial support systems may maintain functions such as heartbeat and respiration for a few days
• Cadaveric donor
  an individual who has recently died of causes that do not affect the function of an organ to be transplanted. Either the person or the person's family has generously offered organs and/or tissues for transplantation
• Cancer
  An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, in some cases, to metastasize (spread).
• Carbohydrate
  a starchy food that gives the body energy. Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and cereals are examples of carbohydrates.
• Carcinoma
  Cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover body organs. For example, carcinoma can arise in the breast , colon, liver, lung, prostate, and stomach.
• Cascade
  A sequence of successive activation reactions involving enzymes (enzyme cascade) or hormones (hormone cascade) characterized by a series of amplifications of an initial stimulus. In blood coagulation, for example, each enzyme activates the next until the final product, the fibrin clot, is reached.
• Cell
  The basic structural and functional unit in people and all living things. Each cell is a small container of chemicals and water wrapped in a membrane .
• Central venous catheter (C-Line)
  An intravenous catheter threaded into a large vein to give fluids and medicines. It is placed by a surgeon, usually in the operating room.
• Cholangitis
  Inflammation of the bile ducts of the liver.
• Cholestasis
  Slowing or stoppage of bile flow.
• Cholesterol
  The most common type of steroid in the body, cholesterol has gotten something of a bad name. However, cholesterol is a critically important molecule.
• Chronic
  This important term in medicine comes from the Greek chronos, time and means lasting a long time.
• Cirrhosis
  scarring of the liver that cannot be healed. Many chronic liver diseases end in cirrhosis.
• CIRRHOSIS
  a disease causing irreversible scarring of the liver
• Cirrhosis
  Scarring; hardening of the liver.
• Cirrhosis
  An abnormal liver condition characterized by irreversible scarring of the liver. Alcohol and viral hepatitis B and C are among the many causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can cause yellowing of the skin (jaundice), itching, and fatigue. Diagnosis of cirrhosis can be suggested by physical examination and blood tests, and can be confirmed by liver biopsy in some patients. Complications of cirrhosis include mental confusion, coma, fluid accumulation (ascites), internal bleeding, and kidney failure. Treatment of cirrhosis is designed to limit any further damage to the liver as well as complications. Liver transplantation is becoming an important option for patients with advanced cirrhosis.
• Clinical
  1. Having to do with the examination and treatment of patients. 2. Applicable to patients. A laboratory test may be of clinical value (of use to patients).
• CMV (Cytomegalo virus)
  a virus infection that is very common in transplant recipients; it can affect the lungs and other organs as well; a member of the family of herpes viruses
• Coaguation
  blood clotting
• Colchicine
  This medicine eases the inflammation from gout and prevents attacks from recurring.
• Collateral
  In anatomy, a collateral is a subordinate or accessory part. A collateral is also a side branch, as of a blood vessel or nerve.
• Compute tomography
  Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures.
• Congenital
  Present at birth. A condition that is congenital is one that is present at birth. There are numerous uses of "congenital" in medicine. There are, for example, congenital abnormalities. (For more examples, see below.)
• Contrast
  Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contrast, for example, between blood vessels and other tissue.
• Creatinine
  a substance found in blood and urine; it results from normal body chemical reactions; high blood creatinine levels are a sign of depressed kidney function
• Culture
  A&xnbsp;sample of body fluids or secretions taken to check for bacteria or viruses when infection is suspected. Cultures are often done on blood, urine&xnbsp;and stool.
• Detoxify
  to change a harmful substance into a safer form
• Diagnosis
  1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
• Dialysis
  the process of cleansing and achieving chemical balance in the blood of patients whose kidneys have failed. Dialysis may refer to hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis (PD)
• Digestive tract
  the digestive system, which includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum.
• Dissolve
  to become liquid; melt.
• Distension
  An increase in the girth (measurement) of the abdomen.
• Doppler ultrasound
  A&xnbsp;radiological study used to see blood flowing through vessels; especially used immediately after liver transplant to make sure the blood is flowing to the new organ. The procedure is painless; however, some children need to be sedated.
• Edema
  Swelling or puffiness caused by extra water in body tissues, especially seen in the skin (hands and feet or legs); caused by too much fluid in the tissues. Swelling of the ankles, for example, is a sign of edema
• Electrodes
  Tiny wire discs placed on the skin to monitor heart rate, breathing and temperature.
• Electrolytes
  Salt-like substances in the blood, including sodium, potassium and chloride, which must be kept at normal levels in order for body organs to function properly.
• Endotracheal tube (ET tube)
  A tube leading from the nose or mouth into the lungs that is attached to a breathing machine (respirator or ventilator) to help breathing.
• Enzyme
  A protein (or protein-based molecule) that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living organism. An enzyme acts as catalyst for specific chemical reactions , converting a specific set of reactants (called substrates) into specific products. Without enzymes, life as we know it would not exist.
• Epidemic
  The occurrence of more cases of a disease than would be expected in a community or region during a given time period. A sudden severe outbreak of a disease such as SARS. From the Greek "epi-", "upon" + "demos", "people or population" = "epidemos" = "upon the population." See also: Endemic; Pandemic.
• Erythema
  A redness of the skin resulting from inflammation, for example, as caused by sunburn.
• Esophagus
  The tube that connects the pharynx (throat) with the stomach. The esophagus lies between the trachea (windpipe) and the spine. It passes down the neck, pierces the diaphragm just to the left of the midline, and joins the cardiac (upper) end of the stomach. In an adult, the esophagus is about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. When a person swallows, the muscular walls of the esophagus contract to push food down into the stomach. Glands in the lining of the esophagus produce mucus, which keeps the passageway moist and facilitates swallowing. Also known as the gullet or swallowing tube. From the Greek oisophagos, from oisein meaning to bear or carry + phagein, to eat.
• Event
  A set of outcomes. Cardiovascular events might include a heart attack and gastrointestinal events a GI bleed. The use of the term "event" in medicine comes from probability theory.
• Extubation
  The process of removing a breathing&xnbsp;tube.
• Fat
  1 Along with proteins and carbohydrates, one of the three nutrients used as energy sources by the body. The energy produced by fats is 9 calories per gram. Proteins and carbohydrates each provide 4 calories per gram. 2 Total fat; the sum of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help reduce blood cholesterol when substituted for saturated fats in the diet. 3 A slang term for obese or adipose. 4 In chemistry, a compound formed from chemicals called fatty acids. These fats are greasy, solid materials found in animal tissues and in some plants. Fats are the major component of the flabby material of a body, commonly known as blubber.
• Fat soluble
  able to dissolve in fat.
• Fatigue
  A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment, usually accompanied by a feeling of weariness and tiredness. Fatigue can be acute and come on suddenly or chronic and persist.
• FDA
  The Food and Drug Administration, an agency within the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Fecal matter/feces
  solid waste from the digestive tract; stool.
• Ferritin
  The major iron storage protein . The blood level of ferritin serves as an indicator of the amount of iron stored in the body.
• Free radical
  molecule that has an uneven number of electrons which causes it to become unbalanced. The unbalanced molecule then tries to steal electrons from another molecule to make itself more stable. This starts a chain reaction that can harm the cells of the body.
• Gallblader
  a muscular sac attached to the liver; stores bile
• Gallstones
  Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination.
• Gastric
  Having to do with the stomach.
• Gastroenterologist
  A doctor who specializes in the care of those with liver or intestinal diseases.
• Gastrointestinal
  Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large intestines.
• Glucose
  sugar that is in the blood and gives the body energy; all carbohydrates turn into glucose in the body after they have been digested.
• Glycogen
  the stored form of glucose which the body uses for long-term energy. Glycogen is stored mostly in the muscle and the liver.
• Graft
  An organ or tissue that is transplanted
• Graft survival
  when a transplanted tissue or organ is accepted by the body and functions properly. The potential for graft survival is increased when the recipient and donor are closely matched, and when immunosuppressive therapy is used
• HBV
  Hepatitis B virus. A virus which primarily causes inflammation of the liver. The hepatitis B virus can be transmitted in several ways including blood transfusion , needle sticks, body piercing and tattooing using unsterile instruments, dialysis , sexual and even less intimate close contact, and childbirth. Symptoms include fatigue, jaundice , nausea, vomiting, dark urine, and light stools. Diagnosis is by blood test(s).
• HCV
  Hepatitis C virus.
• Helper T cell
  the specialized white blood cell that tells other parts of the immune system to combat infection or foreign material
• Hematocrit
  A test measuring the amount of red blood cells in the blood.
• Hemochromatosis
  Hemochromatosis (iron overload) is an inherited disorder in how the body absorbs and stores iron. The excess iron gives the skin a bronze color and damages the liver and other organs. Diabetes is also a part of the syndrome due to damage to the pancreas.
• Hemodialysis
  a method of dialysis in which blood is purified by circulating through an apparatus outside the body (sometimes called an "artificial kidney")
• Hepatic
  Relating to the liver.
• Hepatic encephalopathy
  Brain dysfunction directly due to liver dysfunction, most often recognized in advanced liver disease. Hepatic encephalopathy may cause disturbances of consciousness and progress to coma .
• Hepatitis
  An infection or inflammation of liver tissue from any cause.
• Hepatitis A
  Inflammation of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is usually transmitted from person to person by food or drink that has been contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A. This type of transmission is called "fecal-oral." The virus is more easily spread in areas where there are poor sanitary conditions or where good personal hygiene is not observed. In 2003 there were hepatitis A outbreaks in the US associated with eating raw or lightly cooked green onions (scallions). Casual contact, as in a school, office, or another work setting, does not spread the virus.
• Hepatitis B
  Inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis B virus (HBV), once thought to be passed only through blood products. It is now known that hepatitis B can also be transmitted via needle sticks, body piercing and tattooing using un sterilized instruments, the dialysis process, sexual and even less intimate close contact, and childbirth. Symptoms include fatigue, jaundice , nausea, vomiting, dark urine, light stools. Diagnosis is by blood test. Treatment is via anti-viral drugs and/or hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG).
• Hepatitis C
  Inflammation of the liver due to the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is usually spread by blood transfusion, hemodialysis, and needle sticks. HCV causes most transfusion-associated hepatitis, and the damage it does to the liver can lead to cirrhosis and cancer. Transmission of the virus by sexual contact is rare. At least half of HCV patients develop chronic hepatitis C infection. Diagnosis is by blood test. Treatment is via anti-viral drugs. Chronic hepatitis C may be treated with interferon, sometimes in combination with anti-virals. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C. Previously known as non-A, non-B hepatitis.
• Hepatitis C virus
  A single-stranded RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family that causes hepatitis C. Abbreviated HCV. The HCV genome contains some 10,000 nucleotides and encodes a single polyprotein of 3,000 amino acids. HCV was discovered in 1989. Before that time, hepatitis C was referred to as non-A, non-B hepatitis.
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
  A tumor in which the cancer starts during adulthood in cells in the liver . Also called adult primary liver cancer. A tumor in which the cancer starts during adulthood in cells in the liver . Also called adult primary liver cancer.
• Hepatologist
  a physician who studies the liver and treats liver disease
• Hepatomegaly
  an enlarged liver
• Histocompatibility
  the examination of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) in a patient, often referred to as "tissue typing" or "genetic matching". Tissue typing is routinely performed for all donors and recipients in kidney and pancreas transplantation to help match the donor with the most suitable recipients. This helps to decrease the likelihood of "rejecting" the transplanted organ.
• HLA (human leukocyte antigens) system
  genetically determined series of antigens that are present on human white blood cells (leukocytes) and tissues
• Hormone
  a chemical substance that is produced in the body. This substance regulates certain activities in the body. Hormones play important roles in growth, development and reproduction. Estrogen and testosterone are examples of hormones.
• Hypoglycemia
  low blood sugar.
• Immune response
  any defensive reaction to foreign material by the immune system
• Immune system
  A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing us from everything foreign to us, and for protecting us against infections and foreign substances. The immune system works to seek and kill invaders.
• Immunosuppression
  Medical therapy designed to decrease immune response to a transplanted organ and prevent rejection of the new organ.
• Incidence
  The frequency with which something, such as a disease, appears in a particular population or area. In disease epidemiology, the incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period. The incidence is distinct from the prevalence which refers to the number of cases alive on a certain date.
• Infection
  The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
• Inflammation
  A basic way in which the body reacts to infection , irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain . Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response .
• Intake and output (I&O)
  A measurement of how much food or IV fluid your child has taken in, and how much has come out in urine and stool.
• Intubation
  The process of inserting the breathing (endotracheal) tube.
• Iron
  Iron is a mineral the body needs to produce red blood cells. Iron supplements are used to treat iron deficiency or iron-deficiency anemia.
• IV catheter
  a small needle with a hollow tube inserted into a vein and used to give medicines or fluids
• IV, or intravenous
  refers to giving medicines or fluids directly through a vein
• JAUNDICE
  yellowing of the skin and eyes caused by excess bile products in the blood
• Jaundice
  The term used to describe the yellowing of the skin or eye. This can be caused by elevated bilirubin levels in the blood.
• Jaundice
  Yellow staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) by abnormally high blood levels of the bile pigment bilirubin . The yellowing extends to other tissues and body fluids. Jaundice was once called the "morbus regius" (the regal disease) in the belief that only the touch of a king could cure it.
• Kasai procedure
  A surgical procedure to restore bile flow in children with biliary atresia.
• Kidney
  one of the two kidney-bean-shaped organs located on both sides of the spine, just above the waist. They rid the body of waste materials and maintain fluid balance through the production of urine
• Latent
  dormant, temporarily inactive, hidden.
• Laxatives
  Many forms of laxatives are available for relieving constipation. Common brand names of laxatives include Phillips' Milk of Magnesia, Citroma, Epsom salts, Correctol, and ExLax.
• LDL cholesterol
  Lipoproteins which are combinations of lipids (fats) and proteins are the form in which lipids are transported in the blood. The low-density lipoproteins transport cholesterol from the liver to the tissues of the body. LDL cholesterol is therefore considered the "bad" cholesterol.
• Lipid
  Another word for "fat." (Please see the various meanings of Fat .) A lipid is more formally defined as a substance such as a fat, oil or wax that dissolves in alcohol but not in water. Lipids contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen but have far less oxygen proportionally than carbohydrates .
• Lipoprotein
  A complex of lipid and protein, the way lipids travel in the blood.
• Liver
  An organ in the upper abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products and worn-out cells from the blood. The liver is the largest solid organ in the body. The liver weighs about three and a half pounds (1.6 kilograms). It measures about 8 inches (20 cm) horizontally (across) and 6.5 inches (17 cm) vertically (down) and is 4.5 inches (12 cm) thick.
• Liver biopsy
  A procedure in which a small sample of the liver is removed for the diagnosis of abnormal liver conditions.
• Liver disease
  Liver disease refers to any disorder of the liver. The liver is a large organ in the upper right abdomen that aids in digestion and removes waste products from the blood.
• Liver enzymes
  substances produced by the liver and released into the blood; these are measured to assess liver function
• Living related donor (LRD)
  a blood relative who donates an organ
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  A radiological procedure that takes pictures of the internal organ's size, shape and blood flow. This procedure is painless, and is more detailed than an ultrasound. Some children need to be sedated.
• Match
  the compatibility between recipient and donor. In general, the more closely the donor and recipient "match", the greater the potential for a successful transplant
• Metabolic
  Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within us (or any living organism). Metabolism consists of anabolism (the buildup of substances) and catabolism (the breakdown of substances).
• Metabolism
  The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within us (or any living organism). Metabolism consists both of anabolism and catabolism (the buildup and breakdown of substances, respectively). The term is commonly used to refer specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy.
• Metabolize
  the action of the cells in breaking down substances in the body.
• Methotrexate
  A drug that acts as an antimetabolite and specifically as a folic acid antagonist that inhibits the synthesis of DNA , RNA , and protein .
• Microemulsion
  a suspension or mixture of tiny droplets of one liquid in a second liquid, such as the smooth mixture that is formed when Neoral® (cyclosporine capsules and oral solution for microemulsion) combines with fluids in the digestive system
• Morbidity
  Illness, disease.
• NASH
  see Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.
• Necrosis
  The death of living cells or tissues. Necrosis can be due, for example, to ischemia (lack of blood flow). From the Greek "nekros" (dead body).
• Nephrologist
  a physician who studies the kidney and treats kidney disease
• Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
  Fatty inflammation of the liver in people who do not abuse alcohol. NASH (nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) tends to occur especially in overweight women with diabetes. It is typically a chronic condition that causes no symptoms or very mild symptoms but can sometimes cause progressive scarring and cirrhosis of the liver.
• Noncompliance
  failure to follow the instructions of one's health care providers, such as not taking medicine as prescribed or not showing up for clinic visits
• Nutrient
  a substance that provides nourishment to the body. Carbo-hydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals are all considered nutrients.
• Obese
  Well above ones normal weight. A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and build.
• Obesity
  The state of being well above one's normal weight.
• Orally
  by mouth
• Organ preservation
  between organ procurement and transplant, organs require special methods of preservation to keep them viable. The length of time that organs and tissues can be kept outside the body varies, depending on the organ, the preservation fluid and the temperature.
• Organ procurement organisazion (OPO)
  OPO's serve as the integral link between the potential donor and recipient and are accountable for the retrieval, preservation and transportation of organs for transplantation. All OPOs are UNOS members.
• Organ rejection
  an attempt by the immune system to reject or destroy what it recognizes to be a "foreign" presence (for example, a transplanted liver)
• Overweight
  The term "overweight" is used in two different ways. In one sense it is a way of saying imprecisely that someone is heavy. The other sense of "overweight" is more precise and designates a state between normal weight and obesity .
• Pancreas
  A fish-shaped spongy grayish-pink organ about 6 inches (15 cm) long that stretches across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach. The head of the pancreas is on the right side of the abdomen and is connected to the duodenum (the first section of the small intestine). The narrow end of the pancreas, called the tail, extends to the left side of the body.
• PCP
  Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, a type of pneumonia seen primarily in patients whose immune systems are suppressed
• Pediatric
  Pertaining to children.
• Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC line)
  An IV placed in a large vein when IV fluids or medicines are needed for a long time.
• Peritoneal dialysis
  a method of purifying the blood by flushing the abdominal cavity with a dilute salt solution
• Portal hypertension
  A condition in which the pressure of the blood flowing through the portal vein is increased.
• Portal vein
  A large vein that carries blood from the stomach and the intestines to the liver.
• Potassium chloride
  Potassium is a vital element in the body. Potassium supplements help prevent and treat potassium deficiency in people taking diuretics.
• Prevalence
  The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease. Prevalence is a statistical concept referring to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular population at a given time.
• Primary
  First or foremost in time or development. The primary teeth (the baby teeth) are those that come first. Primary may also refer to symptoms or a disease to which others are secondary.
• Pulse oximeter
  A monitor that measures the amount of oxygen carried by the blood.
• Quinidine
  This medicine often is used to correct irregular heartbeat. Brand names of quinidine include Quinalan and Quiniglute.
• Rejection
  Attack of the transplant organ by the immune system.
• Renal
  refers to the kidney
• Retransplantation
  due to organ rejection or transplant failure, some patients need another transplant and return to the waiting list. Reducing the number of retransplants is critical when examining ways to maximize a limited supply of donor organs.
• Retrospective study
  In medicine, a study that looks backward in time, usually using medical records and interviews with patients who already known to have a disease.
• Risk factor
  Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease.
• Scan
  As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of the body by gathering information with a sensing device.
• Section
  1) In anatomy, a slice of tissue. A biopsy obtained by surgery is usually sectioned (sliced), and these sections are inspected under a microscope. 2) In obstetrics, short for Caesarian section. 3) In surgery, the division of tissue during an operation.
• Sensitivity
  1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sensitivity training, training in small groups to develop a sensitive awareness and understanding of oneself and of ones relationships with others. 2. In disease epidemiology, the ability of a system to detect epidemics and other changes in disease occurrence. 3. In screening for a disease, the proportion of persons with the disease who are correctly identified by a screening test. 4. In the definition of a disease, the proportion of persons with the disease who are correctly identified by defined criteria.
• Sensitized
  being immunized, or able to mount an immune response, against an antigen by previous exposure to that antigen
• Serum
  The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plasma, the liquid portion of normal unclotted blood containing the red and white cells and platelets. It is the clot that makes the difference between serum and plasma.
• Sign
  Any objective evidence of disease. Gross blood in the stool is a sign of disease. It can be recognized by the patient, doctor, nurse, or others. In contrast, a symptom is, by its nature, subjective. Abdominal pain is a symptom. It is something only the patient can know.
• Sodium
  a component of table salt (sodium chloride); an electrolyte that is the main salt in blood
• Stage
  As regards cancer , the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. See also: Staging .
• Statins
  A class of drugs that lower cholesterol.
• Status
  indicates the degree of medical urgency for patients awaiting heart or liver transplants
• Steatohepatitis
  Fatty inflammation of the liver, usually in alcoholics. Steato- refers to fat and -hepatitis to inflammation of the liver.
• Surgery
  The word "surgery" has multiple meanings. It is the branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions which require or are amenable to operative procedures. Surgery is the work done by a surgeon. By analogy, the work of an editor wielding his pen as a scalpel is s form of surgery. A surgery in England (and some other countries) is a physician's or dentist's office.
• Survival rates
  survival rates indicate how many patients or grafts (transplanted organs) are alive/functioning at a set time posttransplant. Survival rates are often given at one, three and five years. Policy modifications are never made without examining their impact on transplant survival rates. Survival rates improve with technological and scientific advances. Developing policies that reflect and respond to these advances in transplantation will also improve survival rates.
• Sustained response
  an undetectable viral load for 6 months after treatment ends.
• Syndrome
  A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease.
• T cells
  a white blood cell responsible for the body's immunity. T cells can destroy cells infected by viruses, graft cells, and other altered cells
• Theophylline
  This medicine eases breathing difficulties associated with emphysema, bronchitis, and bronchial asthma. The medicine works by relaxing the muscles of the respiratory tract, which allows an easier flow of air into the lungs. Examples of brand names include Theo-Dur, Theophyl, and Bronkodyl.
• Therapy
  The treatment of disease .
• Tincture
  the liquid form of an herb. Most tinctures are alcohol based and are made by soaking the herb in a drinkable form of alcohol (ethanol, grain). This extracts the active parts of the herb while also acting as a preservative. Tinctures are also available in nonalcoholic versions and are prepared by soaking the herb in glycerol rather than alcohol.
• Tissue
  A tissue in medicine is not like a piece of tissue paper. It is a broad term that is applied to any group of cells that perform specific functions. A tissue in medicine need not form a layer.
• Tissue typing
  a blood test (performed prior to transplantation) to evaluate the closeness of tissue match between donor's organ and recipient's HLA antigens.
• Tomography
  The process for generating a tomogram , a two-dimensional image of a slice or section through a three-dimensional object. Tomography achieves this remarkable result by simply moving an x-ray source in one direction as the x-ray film is moved in the opposite direction during the exposure to sharpen structures in the focal plane, while structures in other planes appear blurred. The tomogram is the picture; the tomograph is the apparatus; and tomography is the process.
• Transferrin
  A plasma protein that transports iron through the blood to the liver, spleen and bone marrow .
• Transfusion
  The transfer of blood or blood products from one person (the donor) into another person (the recipient's) bloodstream. In most situations, this is done as a lifesaving maneuver to replace blood cells or blood products lost through severe bleeding. Transfusion of your own blood (autologous) is the safest method but requires planning ahead and not all patients are eligible. Directed donor blood allows the patient to receive blood from known donors. Volunteer donor blood is usually most readily available and, when properly tested has a low incidence of adverse events.
• Trigger
  Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predisposed to developing the disease, or that causes a certain symptom to occur in a person who has a disease. For example, sunlight can trigger rashes in people with lupus.
• Triglycerides
  The major form of fat. A triglyceride consists of three molecules of fatty acid combined with a molecule of the alcohol glycerol. Triglycerides serve as the backbone of many types of lipids (fats). Triglycerides come from the food we eat as well as from being produced by the body.
• T-tube
  a tube placed in the bile duct that allows bile to drain into a bag outside the body
• Tumor
  An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be benign or malignant (cancerous). There are dozens of different types of tumors. Their names usually reflect the kind of tissue they arise in, and may also tell you something about their shape or how they grow. For example, a medulloblastoma is a tumor that arises from embryonic cells (a blastoma) in the inner part of the brain (the medulla). Diagnosis depends on the type and location of the tumor. Tumor marker tests and imaging may be used; some tumors can be seen (for example, tumors on the exterior of the skin) or felt (palpated with the hands).
• Ultrasound
  High-frequency sound waves. Ultrasound waves can be bounced off of tissues using special devices. The echoes are then converted into a picture called a sonogram. Ultrasound imaging, referred to as ultrasonography, allows physicians and patients to get an inside view of soft tissues and body cavities, without using invasive techniques. Ultrasound is often used to examine a fetus during pregnancy. There is no convincing evidence for any danger from ultrasound during pregnancy.
• Varices
  Enlarged tortuous vein with portal hypertension. High pressures in the veins cause them to distend or become engorged. In people with liver disease, the varices are usually found in the stomach, esophagus and surrounding the liver.
• Vein
  A blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen content from the body back to the heart. The deoxygenated form of hemoglobin (deoxyhemoglobin) in venous blood makes it appear dark. Veins are part of the afferent wing of the circulatory system which returns blood to the heart.
• Vesicles
  In dermatology, vesicles are small blisters, most often on the skin. Vesicles also can crop up on the mucous membranes, such as the buccal mucosa (the lining of the mouth).
• Vessel
  A tube in the body that carries fluids: blood vessels or lymph vessels.
• Viral
  Of or pertaining to a virus. For example, "My daughter has a viral rash ."
• Viral hepatitis
  Viral hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by viruses. Specific hepatitis viruses have been labeled A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. While other viruses can also cause hepatitis, their primary target is not the liver.
• Virus
  A microorganism smaller than a bacteria, which cannot grow or reproduce apart from a living cell. A virus invades living cells and uses their chemical machinery to keep itself alive and to replicate itself. It may reproduce with fidelity or with errors (mutations)-this ability to mutate is responsible for the ability of some viruses to change slightly in each infected person, making treatment more difficult.
• Vital
  Necessary to maintain life. Breathing is a vital function.
• Vitamins
  Vitamins serve as nutritional supplements in people with poor diets, in people recovering from surgery, or in people with special health problems.
• Waiting list
  after evaluation by the transplant physician, a patient is added to the national waiting list by the transplant center. Lists are specific to both geographic area and organ type: heart, lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, intestine, heart-lung, kidney-pancreas. Each time a donor organ becomes available, the UNOS computer generates a list of potential recipients based on factors that include genetic similarity, organ size, medical urgency and time on the waiting list. Through this process, a "new" list is generated each time an organ becomes available.
• Water soluble
  able to dissolve in water.
• Weight loss
  Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (diet, exercise) or involuntary (illness) circumstances. Most instances of weight loss arise due to the loss of body fat, but in cases of extreme or severe weight loss, protein and other substances in the body can also be depleted. Examples of involuntary weight loss include the weight loss associated with cancer, malabsorption (such as from chronic diarrheal illnesses ), and chronic inflammation (such as with rheumatoid arthritis).