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May 24, 2013


Crohn's Disease in Children and Teens Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Crohn's Disease in Children and Teens article.

Abdomen: The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the...

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Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

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Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Abscess: A local accumulation of pus anywhere in the body. The following are some example...

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Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

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Anatomy: The study of human or animal form, by observation or examination of the living be...

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Anemia: The condition of having a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells or quantity ...

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Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body.

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

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Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

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Autoimmune: Pertaining to autoimmunity, a misdirected immune response that occurs when the...

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Autoimmune disease: An illness that occurs when the body tissues are attacked by its own i...

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Autoimmunity: A misdirected immune response that occurs when the immune system goes awry a...

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Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

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Barium: 1. A metallic element belonging to the alkaline earths with an atomic numbe...

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Barium enema: An enema using a white, chalky solution containing barium, in preparation fo...

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Bile: Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder a...

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Biopsy: The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for ...

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Bladder: A hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter waste f...

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Blood clots: Blood that has been converted from a liquid to a solid state. Also called a t...

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Bowel: The small and large intestine.

Bumps: The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured b...

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Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

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Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

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Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

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Chronic disease: A disease that persists for a long time. A chronic disease is one lasting...

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Clinical trials: Trials to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical...

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Colectomy: An operation to remove all or part of the colon (large intestine). In a partial...

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Colitis: Inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). There are many forms of coliti...

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Colon: The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaini...

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Colon cancer: A malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (the co...

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Colonoscopy: A procedure whereby a physician inserts a viewing tube (colonoscope) into the...

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Colostomy: An artificial exit from the colon created to divert waste through a hole in the...

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Complication: In medicine, an unanticipated problem that arises following, and is a result...

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Contrast: Short for "contrast media." Contrast media are X-ray dyes used to provide contra...

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Cough: A rapid expulsion of air from the lungs, typically in order to clear the lung airwa...

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Crohn's disease: A chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the small and large ...

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CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

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Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

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Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

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Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

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Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

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Digestive system: The system of organs responsible for getting food into and out of the bo...

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Duct: A walled passageway, such as a lymph duct, that carries fluid from one place to anot...

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Duodenum: The first part of the small intestine. The duodenum is a common site for peptic ...

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Endoscope: A lighted optical instrument that is used to get a deep look inside the body. A...

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Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: Abbreviated ERCP. A procedure done to diag...

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Endoscopy: Examination of the inside of the body by using a lighted, flexible instrument c...

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Enema: Liquid injected into the rectum. An enema may be used for therapeutic (such as to s...

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ERCP: Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, a diagnostic procedure used to exam...

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Erythema: Redness of the skin that results from capillary congestion. Erythema can occur w...

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Erythema nodosum: An inflammatory reaction that occurs deep in the skin and is characteriz...

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Fatigue: A condition characterized by a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency ...

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Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

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Fistula: An abnormal passageway in the body. The fistula may go from the body surface int...

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Flare: 1. an exacerbation of a chronic disease. Sometimes referred to as a flare-up, a fla...

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Gallbladder: A pear-shaped organ located below the liver that stores the bile secreted by ...

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Gallstones: Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as smal...

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Gastroenteritis: Inflammation of the stomach and the intestines. Gastroenteritis can cause...

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Gastroenterologist: A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases...

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Gastroenterology: The medical specialty devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of d...

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Gastrostomy: A surgical opening into the stomach. A gastrostomy may be used for feeding, u...

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Gene: The basic biological unit of heredity. A segment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) need...

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Genes: The basic biological units of heredity. Segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nee...

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Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

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Hemorrhage: Bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, irrespective of the cause. Hepatitis is caused by a ...

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Ileostomy: An opening into the ileum, part of the small intestine, from the outside of the...

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Ileum: Part of the small intestine beyond the jejunum and before the large intestine (colo...

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Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune response: Any reaction by the immune system. For example, poison ivy can cause an i...

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Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

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Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

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Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

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Inflammatory bowel disease: A group of chronic intestinal diseases characterized by infla...

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Internal medicine: The medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment ...

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Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion...

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Iron: An essential mineral. Iron is necessary for the transport of oxygen (via hemoglobin ...

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Jejunum: Part of the small intestine. It is half-way down the small intestine between its...

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Joint: The area where two bones are attached for the purpose of permitting body parts to m...

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Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

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Lab test: A test that is done in the laboratory where the appropriate equipment, supplies,...

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Large intestine: Comes after the small intestine. Large because it is wider than the smal...

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Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

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Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

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Malabsorption: Poor intestinal absorption of nutrients. Malabsorption can occur from disea...

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Malaise: A vague feeling of discomfort, one that cannot be pinned down but is often sensed...

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Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

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Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

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MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Mucus: A thick fluid that is produced by the lining of some organs of the body.

Nasogastric: Referring to the passage from the nose to the stomach. Abbreviated NG.

Nasogastric tube: A tube that is passed through the nose and down through the nasopharynx ...

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Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

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Necrosis: The death of living cells or tissues. Necrosis can be due, for example, to ische...

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NG tube: See: Nasogastric tube.

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

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Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

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Nutritionist: 1) In a hospital or nursing home, a person who plans and/or formulates spe...

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Obstruction: Blockage of a passageway. See, for example: Airway obstruction; Intestinal o...

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Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for ex...

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Operation: In medicine, a surgical procedure. Many operations are named after persons. The...

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Organ: A relatively independent part of the body that carries out one or more special func...

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Osteoporosis: Thinning of the bones, with reduction in bone mass, due to depletion of calc...

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Ostomy: An operation to create an opening from an area inside the body to the outside.

Outpatient: A patient who is not hospitalized, but instead comes to a physician?s office, ...

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PA-C: Physician Assistant - Certified.

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

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Pancreas: A spongy, tube-shaped organ that is about 6 inches long and is located in the ba...

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Parenteral: Not delivered via the intestinal tract. For example, parenteral nutrition is f...

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Pathologist: A physician who identifies diseases and conditions by studying abnormal cells...

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Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Pediatrics: The field of medicine that is concerned with the health of infants, children, ...

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Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

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Physical growth: See: Normal growth.

Primary care: A patient's main source for regular medical care, ideally providing continui...

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Primary care provider: In insurance parlance, a physician who is chosen by or assigned to ...

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Proteins: Large molecules composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific orde...

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Puberty: Adolescence, the period in which the human body first becomes capable of reproduc...

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Pus: A thick, whitish-yellow fluid that results from the accumulation of white blood cells...

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Rectal bleeding: Blood passed rectally. Blood in the stool can be bright red or maroon in ...

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Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until...

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Red blood cell: The blood cell that carries oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

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Red blood cells: The blood cells that carry oxygen. Red cells contain hemoglobin and it is...

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Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

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Remission: Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer or other disease. A remission...

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Resection: Surgical removal of part of an organ.

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

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Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing. Medically referred to as dyspnea. Shortness ...

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Small bowel: Another name for the small intestine.

Small intestine: The part of the digestive tract that extends from the stomach to the larg...

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Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects ...

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Staging: stagingDoing exams and tests to learn the extent of a cancer, especially whether ...

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Steroid: One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon struc...

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Stoma: An opening into the body from the outside that is created by a surgeon.

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

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Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

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Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

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Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superf...

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Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

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Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

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Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Terminal ileitis: Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine involvi...

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Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics, the branch of medicine that is concerned specifical...

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Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Tired: A feeling of a lessened capacity for work and reduced efficiency of accomplishment,...

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Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

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Tumor necrosis factor: One of multiple proteins capable of inducing necrosis (death) of tu...

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Ulcer: A lesion that is eroding away the skin or mucous membrane. Ulcers can have various ...

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Ulcerative colitis: A bowel disease that is characterized by inflammation with ulcer forma...

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Ultrasound: High-frequency sound waves. Ultra-sound waves can be bounced off tissues by us...

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Upper GI series: A series of x-rays of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine (upper ...

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Urinary: Having to do with the function or anatomy of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or ur...

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Urinary tract: The organs of the body that produce, store, and discharge urine. These orga...

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Vein: A blood vessel that carries blood that is low in oxygen content from the body back t...

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Virus: A microorganism that is smaller than a bacterium that cannot grow or reproduce apar...

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Vitamins: The word "vitamin" was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw-born biochemist Casimir Funk...

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Weight loss: Weight loss is a decrease in body weight resulting from either voluntary (die...

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White blood cell: One of the cells the body makes to help fight infections. There are seve...

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X-ray: High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-ray is used...

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Youth: The time between childhood and maturity.

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