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Glossary

Showing 671-680 out of 1184 Terms

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  • Isolation

    (I-soh-LAY-shun)

    State of being separated from others. Isolation is sometimes used to prevent disease from spreading.

  • J tube

    (... toob)

    J stands for jejunostomy , which is surgery to create an opening into the jejunum (part of the small intestine) from the outside of the body. A jejunostomy allows a feeding tube to be put into the small intestine.

  • Jamshidi needle

    (jam-SHEE-dee NEE-dul)

    A long, hollow needle with a tapered cutting edge on one end and a handle with a place to attach a syringe on the other end. It is used to remove a sample of tissue from the bone marrow. The needle is inserted through the bone into the bone marrow and the syringe is attached to the top to remove the sample or to deliver drugs or fluid into the bone. A Jamshidi needle is a type of bone marrow needle.

  • Jaundice

    (JAWN-dis)

    A condition in which the skin and the whites of the eyes become yellow, urine darkens, and the color of stool becomes lighter than normal. Jaundice occurs when the liver is not working properly or when a bile duct is blocked.

  • Joints

    (joynts)

    In medicine, the place where two or more bones are connected. Examples include the shoulder, elbow, knee, and jaw.

  • Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia

    JOO-veh-NILE MY-eh-loh-MAH-noh-SIH-tik loo-KEE-mee-uh

    A rare form of childhood leukemia in which cancer cells often spread into tissues such as the skin, lung, and intestines. Also called JMML.

  • Kidney

    (KID-nee)

    One of a pair of organs in the abdomen. The kidneys remove waste and extra water from the blood (as urine) and help keep chemicals (such as sodium, potassium, and calcium) balanced in the body. The kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pressure and stimulate bone marrow to make red blood cells.

  • Kidney cancer

    (KID-nee KAN-ser)

    Cancer that forms in tissues of the kidneys. The most common type of kidney cancer in adults is renal cell carcinoma. It forms in the lining of very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products. Transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis is kidney cancer that forms in the center of the kidney where urine collects. Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that usually develops in children under the age of 5.

  • Kidneys

    (KID-nees)

    A pair of organs in the abdomen. The kidneys remove waste and extra water from the blood (as urine) and help keep chemicals (such as sodium, potassium, and calcium) balanced in the body. The kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pressure and stimulate bone marrow to make red blood cells.

  • Klinefelter syndrome

    (KLINE-fel-ter SIN-drome)

    A genetic disorder in males caused by having one or more extra X chromosomes. Males with this disorder may have larger than normal breasts, a lack of facial and body hair, a rounded body type, and small testicles. They may learn to speak much later than other children and may have difficulty learning to read and write. Klinefelter syndrome increases the risk of developing extragonadal germ cell tumors and breast cancer.