Hypopituitarism in Children Glossary of Terms

Acquired: Not inherited, or present at birth (congenital), but developing after birth. For...

Adrenal gland: A small gland located on top of the kidney. The adrenal glands produce horm...

Adrenaline: A stress hormone produced within the adrenal gland that quickens the heart bea...

Bioinformatics: The sum of the computational approaches to analyze, manage, and store biol...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood sugar: Blood glucose. See also: High blood sugar; Low blood sugar.

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Congenital: A condition that is present at birth, whether or not it is inherited.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone: A hormone made by the hypothalamus that stimulates the re...

Cortisol: A metabolite of the primary stress hormone cortisone. Cortisol is an essential f...

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

Diabetes insipidus: Excessive urination and extreme thirst as a result of inadequate outpu...

Diabetes mellitus: Better known just as "diabetes" -- a chronic disease associated with ab...

Endocrine: Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the blood...

Endocrinology: The study of the medical aspects of hormones, including diseases and condit...

Epinephrine: A substance produced by the medulla (inside) of the adrenal gland. The name e...

Essential: In medicine, of unknown cause, as in essential hypertension (high blood pressur...

Estrogen: A female steroid hormone that is produced by the ovaries and, in lesser amounts,...

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

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Genital: Pertaining to the external and/or internal organs of reproduction.

Gland: A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thy...

Growth hormone: A hormone made in the pituitary gland that stimulates the release of anoth...

Headache: A pain in the head with the pain being above the eyes or the ears, behind the he...

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activit...

Human growth: See: Normal growth.

Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar (glucose). Hypoglycemia may be associated with symptoms such...

Hypothalamus: The area of the brain that secretes substances that influence pituitary and ...

Hypothyroid: Deficiency of thyroid hormone which is normally made by the thyroid gland wh...

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

Infiltrate: To penetrate. For example, a cancer may grow into, or infiltrate, surrounding ...

Informatics: The application of computers and statistics to the management of information....

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

Jaundice: Yellow staining of the skin and sclerae (the whites of the eyes) by abnormally h...

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

Lactation: The process of milk production. Human milk is secreted by the mammary glands, w...

Lawson Wilkins: See: Wilkins, Lawson.

Levothyroxine: A synthetic thyroid hormone used as a thyroid hormone replacement drug (bra...

Low blood sugar: A low blood level of the sugar glucose. Also called hypoglycemia.

Luteinizing hormone: A gonadotropin (a hormone that affects the function of the sex organs...

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Metabolism: The whole range of biochemical processes that occur within a living organism. ...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

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

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

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

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Peripheral vision: Side vision. The ability to see objects and movement outside of the di...

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

Pituitary: 1. As an adjective, pertaining to the pituitary gland or its hormonal se...

Pituitary gland: The main endocrine gland. It is a small structure in the head. It is ca...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Prolactin: A hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates lactation (milk produ...

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

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy ...

Recombinant: A person with a new combination of genes, a combination not present in either...

Reproduction: The production of offspring. Reproduction need not be sexual; for example, y...

Sarcoidosis: A disease of unknown origin that causes small lumps (granulomas) due to chron...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

Somatotropin: A growth hormone that is produced by the anterior pituitary (the front part ...

Sperm: A sperm is the male "gamete" or sex cell. It combines with the female &qu...

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

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages th...

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

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Thyroid gland: A gland that makes and stores hormones that help regulate the heart rate, b...

Thyroid hormone: A chemical substance made by the thyroid gland for export into the bloods...

Thyroid hormones: Chemical substances made by the thyroid gland, which is located in the...

Thyroid stimulating hormone: A hormone produced by the pituitary gland at the base of the...

Thyroxine: A hormone that is made by the thyroid gland and is one of the most important th...

Tooth: One of the structures within the mouth that allow for biting and chewing. Teeth hav...

TSH: Thyroid stimulating hormone.

Tuberculosis: A highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium ...

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

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

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Vasopressin: A relatively small (peptide) molecule that is released by the pituitary gla...

Visual acuity: The clarity or clearness of vision, a measure of how well a person sees.