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Attending Physician
(uh-TEN-ding fih-ZIH-shun)
A medical doctor who is responsible for the overall care of a patient in a hospital or clinic setting. An attending physician may also supervise and teach medical students, interns, and residents involved in the patient’s care.
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Attenuated
(uh-TEN-yoo-way-ted)
Weakened or thinned. Attenuated strains of disease-causing bacteria and viruses are often used as vaccines. The weakened strains are used as vaccines because they stimulate a protective immune response while causing no disease or only mild disease in the person receiving the vaccine.
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Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor
(RAB-doyd TOO-mer)
An aggressive cancer of the central nervous system, kidney, or liver that occurs in very young children. Also called AT/RT and ATT/RHT.
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Audiogram
A diagnostic test that is done to evaluate your hearing.
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Auditory
(AW-duh-TOR-ee)
Having to do with the ear and the sense of hearing.
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Auto syringe
A portable pump to administer medications subcutaneously or intravenously over several days. This allows you to be ambulatory.
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Autoimmune disease
(AW-toh-ih-MYOON dih-ZEEZ)
A condition in which the body recognizes its own tissues as foreign and directs an immune response against them.
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Autoimmune diseases
A condition in which the body recognizes its own tissues as foreign and directs an immune response against them.
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Autologous bone marrow transplant
(aw-TAH-luh-gus bone MAYR-oh tranz-plan-TAY-shun)
When your own bone marrow is used.
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Autonomic Nervous System
(AW-toh-NAH-mik NER-vus SIS-tem)
The part of the nervous system that controls muscles of internal organs (such as the heart, blood vessels, lungs, stomach, and intestines) and glands (such as salivary glands and sweat glands). One part of the autonomic nervous system helps the body rest, relax, and digest food and another part helps a person fight or take flight in an emergency. Also called ANS and involuntary nervous system.
