Pulmonary Embolism Glossary of Terms

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Angiogram: An X-ray image of blood vessels. The vessels can be seen because a contrast dye...

Angiography: A procedure performed to view blood vessels after injecting them with a radio...

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Asymptomatic: Without symptoms. For example, an asymptomatic infection is an infection wit...

Autopsy: A postmortem examination. Also known as necropsy.

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood. A blood clot can block a major blood vessel, causi...

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

Blood count: The calculated number of white or red blood cells (WBCs or RBCs) in a cubic m...

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

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

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

Cannula: A hollow tube with a sharp, retractable inner core that can be inserted into a ve...

Carbon dioxide: A gas which is the byproduct of cellular metabolism and which collects in ...

Catheter: A thin, flexible tube.

CBC: A commonly used abbreviation in medicine that stands for complete blood count, a set...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Chest X-ray: A type of X-ray commonly used to detect abnormalities in the lungs. A chest X...

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

Circulation: In medicine, the movement of fluid through the body in a regular or circuitou...

Collateral: In anatomy, a collateral is a subordinate or accessory part. A collateral is a...

Complete blood count: A set values of the cellular (formed elements) of blood. These meas...

Compression: 1. The act of pressing together. As in a compression fracture, nerve c...

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

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

CTS: Carpal tunnel syndrome.

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

Differential diagnosis: The process of weighing the probability of one disease versus that...

ECG: Electrocardiogram.

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Abbreviated ECG an...

Embolism: The obstruction of a blood vessel by a foreign substance or a blood clot that tr...

Embolus: A blockage or plug that obstructs a blood 'vessel. Examples of emboli are detache...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Enoxaparin: A low-molecular-weight version of heparin that acts like heparin as an anticoa...

Enzyme: A protein (or protein-based molecule) that speeds up a chemical reaction in a livi...

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

Extremity: An uttermost part of the body, such as a hand or a foot.

Groin: The area where the thigh meets the hip.

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

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart failure: Inability of the heart to keep up with the demands on it and, specifically...

Heparin: An anticoagulant (anti-clotting) medication. Heparin is useful in preventing thro...

Hypercoagulable state: A hypercoagulable state is the medical term for a condition in whi...

Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular ...

Infarct: An area of tissue death that is due to a local lack of oxygen.

Infarction: The formation of an infarct, an area of tissue death, due to a local lack of o...

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

Inferior: In anatomy, below or toward the feet. As opposed to superior. The liver is infer...

Inferior vena cava: A large vein that receives blood from the lower extremities, pelvis an...

Injury: Harm or hurt. To harm, hurt, or wound. The word injure may be in physical or emot...

International normalized ratio: A system established by the World Health Organization (WHO...

Interventional: Pertaining to the act of intervening, interfering or interceding with the ...

Interventional radiologist: A radiologist who uses image guidance methods to gain access t...

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

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Low blood pressure: Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individua...

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

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

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.

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

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

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

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

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

Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen, located between the hip bones. Structures in the fe...

Perfusion: A chemotherapy technique that may be used when melanoma occurs on an arm or leg...

Pneumothorax: Free air in the chest outside the lung. Pneumothorax can occur spontaneously...

Pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the female body. Thi...

Probability: The likelihood that something will happen. For example, a probability of less...

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

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Prothrombin: A coagulation (clotting) factor that is needed for the normal clotting of blo...

Prothrombin time: A test that is done to gauge the integrity of part of the blood clotting...

Pulmonary: Having to do with the lungs.

Pulmonary artery: One of the two vessels which are formed as terminal branches of the pulm...

Pulmonary embolism: Sudden closure of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches, caused by...

Pulmonary embolus: A blood clot or foreign material that has been carried through the bloo...

Radiologic: Having to do with radiology.

Radiologist: A physician specialized in radiology, the branch of medicine that uses ionizi...

Reagent: A substance that is used to produce a chemical reaction that allows researchers t...

Resolution: In genetics, the degree of molecular detail on a physical map of DNA. Resoluti...

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

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

Spinal cord: The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies with...

Spinal cord injury: Trauma or damage to the spinal cord, the major column of nerve tissue ...

Strain: 1. An injury to a tendon or muscle resulting from overuse or trauma. 2. A heredita...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

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

Sweating: The act of secreting fluid from the skin by the sweat (sudoriferous) glands. The...

Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute.

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

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

Thrombosis: The formation or presence of a blood clot in a blood vessel. The vessel may be...

tPA: See: Tissue plasminogen activator.

Trachea: A tube-like portion of the respiratory tract that connects the larynx with the br...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

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

Vena cava: The superior vena cava is the large vein which returns blood to the heart from ...

Ventilation: The exchange of air between the lungs and the atmosphere so that oxygen can ...

Ventilator: A machine that mechanically assists a patient in the exchange of oxygen and ca...

Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids. Examples of vessels are blood vessels and ...

Warfarin: An anticoagulant drug (brand names: Coumarin, Panwarfin, Sofarin) taken to prev...

Windpipe: The trachea, a tube-like portion of the respiratory (breathing) tract that conn...

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