CELL INJURY AND CELL DEATH

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GLOSSARY


Pathology (pathos-logos, the study of disease):

The branch of medicine that deals with the nature of disease; specifically, the structural and functional changes produced by injury to cells, tissues, organs or the entire organism.


Disease:

Generally, a departure from health; specifically, a particular destructive process with a cause (known or unknown) and characteristic symptoms, signs and course.


Injury:

A stimulus which damages cells, tissues, or organs; there are many different types of injury.


Lesion:

An abnormality in an organ or tissue; the result of an injury or damage; may result in impairment or loss of function.


Etiology:

The cause of a disease; can be genetic or acquired (the tubercle bacillus is the cause of tuberculosis).


Pathogenesis:

The process or series of steps by which a cause produces a disease.


Symptom:

A subjective indication of disease; what the patient feels or notices (e.g., pain, dizziness).


Sign:

An objective indication or symptom of disease; what an observer sees or can measure (e.g., high blood pressure, splenomegaly).


Complication:

A second disease or abnormal condition occurring during the course of a primary disease. Myocardial infarction is one complication of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.


Cause of Death:

The name of a disease, abnormality, trauma or poisoning leading directly or indirectly to death.


Manner of Death:

NASHU- Natural, Accident, Suicide, Homicide, Undetermined. The way in which death is caused.


Diagnosis (dia- between; gnosis- to know):

The act or process of deciding the nature of a disease condition by a careful examination of the symptoms and signs; also, the decision or opinion based on that examination.


Differential Diagnosis:

A list of possible diagnoses


Prognosis:

A forecast, a prediction of the probable course of a disease and chance of recovery.

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