Medical Terminology Ch.6 Pathology

White Blood Cell Differential

Blood test to determine the number of each variety of leukocytes.

Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)

Blood test to determine the number of erythrocytes in a volume of blood. A decrease in red blood cells may indicate anemia; an increase may indicate polycythemia.

platelet count

Blood test to determine the number of plate-lets in a given volume of blood.

erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Blood test to determine the rate at which mature red blood cells settle out of the blood after the addition of an anticoagulant. This is an indicator of the presence of an inflammatory disease.

White Blood Cell Count (WBC)

Blood test to measure the number of leu-kocytes in a volume of blood. An increase may indicate the presence of infection or a disease such as leukemia. A decrease in white blood cells may be caused by radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

hematocrit

Blood test to measure the volume of red blood cells (erythrocytes) within the total vol-ume of blood.

leukemia

Cancer of the white blood cell-forming red bone marrow resulting in a large number of abnormal and immature white blood cells circulating in the blood.

Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Combination of blood tests including red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), hematocrit (Hct), white blood cell differential, and platelet count.

hyperlipidemia

Condition of having too high a level of lipids such as cholesterol in the bloodstream. A risk factor for developing atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease.

Red Blood Cell morphology

Examination of a specimen of blood for abnormalities in the shape (morphology) of the erythrocytes. Used to determine dis-eases like sickle cell anemia.

septicemia

Having bacteria or their toxins in the blood-stream. Sepsis is a term that means putre-faction or infection. Commonly referred to as blood poisoning.

pancytopenia

Having too few of all cells.

Hemophilia

Hereditary blood disease in which blood-clotting time is prolonged due to a lack of one vital clotting factor. It is transmitted by a sex-linked trait from females to males, appearing almost exclusively in males.

phlebotomy

Incision into a vein in order to remove blood for a diagnostic test. Also called venipuncture.

Sequential Multiple Analyzer Computer

Machine for doing multiple blood chemistry tests automatically.

plasmapheresis

Method of removing plasma from the body without depleting the formed elements. Whole blood is removed and the cells and plasma are separated. The cells are returned to the patient along with a donor plasma transfusion.

Bone Marrow Transplant

Patient receives red bone marrow from a donor after the patient's own bone mar-row has been destroyed by radiation or chemotherapy.

autologous transfusion

Procedure for collecting and storing a patient's own blood several weeks prior to the actual need. It can then be used to replace blood lost during a surgical procedure.

polycythemia anemia

Production of too many red blood cells by the bone marrow. Blood becomes too thick to easily flow through the blood vessels.

Hemorrhage

Rapid flow of blood.

Whole Blood

Refers to the mixture of both plasma and formed elements.

Homologus Transfusion

Replacement of blood by transfusion of blood received from another person.

Blood Culture and Sensitivity (C&S)

Sample of blood is incubated in the labora-tory to check for bacterial growth. If bacteria are present, they are identified and tested to determine which antibiotics they are sensi-tive to.

Bone Marrow Aspiration

Sample of bone marrow is removed by aspi-ration with a needle and examined for dis-eases such as leukemia or aplastic anemia.

aplastic anemia

Severe form of anemia that develops as a consequence of loss of functioning red bone marrow. Results in a decrease in the number of all the formed elements. Treat-ment may eventually require a bone marrow transplant.

hematinic

Substance that increases the number of erythrocytes or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. EX: Procrit

antiplatet agents

Substance that interferes with the action of platelets. Prolongs bleeding time. Used to prevent heart attacks and strokes. EX: Plavix

anticoagulant

Substance that prevents blood clot formation. Commonly referred to as blood thinners. EX: Coumadin

antihemorrhagic

Substance that prevents or stops hemorrhaging; a hemo- static agent. EX: Vitamin K

Thrombolytic

Term meaning able to dissolve existing blood clots. EX: Activase; streptokinase, Streptase

Hematology

The branch of medicine specializing in treatment of disease and conditions of the blood. Physician is a hematologist.

Hematoma

The collection of blood under the skin as the result of blood escaping into the tissues from damaged blood vessels. Commonly referred to as a bruise.

erythropenia

The condition of having too few blood cells.

Thrombopenia

The condition of having too few platelets.

leukopenia

The condition of having too few with blood cells.

erythrocytosis

The condition of having too many blood cells.

thrombocytosis

The condition of having too many platelets.

leukocytosis

The condition of having too many white blood cells.

Hemolytic reaction

The destruction of a patient's erythrocytes that occurs when receiving a transfusion of an incompatible blood type. Also called a transfusion reaction.

Blood Clot

The hard collection of fibrin, blood cells, and tissues debris that is the end result of hemostats is of the blood-clotting process.

Coagulate

To convert from a liquid to a gel or solid, as in blood coagulation.

hemoglobin

A blood test to measure the amount of hemo-globin present in a given volume of blood.

Dyscrasia

A general term indicating the presence of a disease affecting blood.

sickle cell anemia

A genetic disorder in which erythrocytes take on an abnormal curved or "sickle" shape. These cells are fragile and are eas-ily damaged, leading to a hemolytic anemia

thalassemia

A genetic disorder in which the body is unable to make functioning hemoglobin, resulting in anemia.

anemia

A large group of conditions characterized by a reduction in the number of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood; results in less oxygen reaching the tissues.

prothrombin time

A measure of the blood's coagulation abili-ties by measuring how long it takes for a clot to form after prothrombin has been activated.

Packed Red Cells

A transfusion in which most of the plasma, leukocytes, and platelets have been removed, leaving on erythrocytes.

Hemolytic anemia

An anemia that develops as the result of the destruction of erthryocytes

pernicious anemia

Anemia associated with insufficient absorp-tion of vitamin B 12 by the digestive system. Vitamin B 12 is necessary for erythrocyte production.

Hypochromic anemia

Anemia resulting from having insufficient hemoglobin in the erythrocytes. Named because the hemoglobin molecule is responsible for the dark red color of the erythrocytes.

iron-deficiency anemia

Anemia resulting from not having sufficient iron to manufacture hemoglobin.

Blood Transfusion

Artificial transfer of blood into the bloodstream.