5.9: Glossary
24-hour urine collection test (twehn-tee fôr hour yŭ-rēn kŏ-lĕk-shŭn tĕst): A diagnostic procedure where all urine output is collected over a 24-hour period to analyze components such as protein, creatinine, and other substances for evaluating kidney function. (Chapter 5.7)
Acute kidney failure (ā-kūt kĭd-nē fāl-yŭr) (ARF): A rapid loss of kidney function, often within 2 days, due to various causes such as decreased blood flow to the kidneys, infections, and blockages. (Chapter 5.6)
Anuria (ă-NOOR-ē-ă): The absence of urine output, often seen in severe kidney failure, defined as less than 50 mL of urine over a 24-hour period. (Chapter 5.5)
Bladder (blăd-ĕr): A muscular sac in the pelvis that stores urine from the kidneys before it is expelled from the body. (Chapter 5.4)
Bladder scan (blăd-ĕr skăn): A non-invasive, portable medical device using ultrasound technology to estimate the volume of urine in the bladder. (Chapter 5.7)
Blood urea nitrogen (blŭd yū-rē-ă nī-trŏ-jĕn) (BUN): A laboratory test measuring the amount of urea nitrogen in the blood, providing information about kidney and liver function. (Chapter 5.7)
Chronic kidney disease (KRŎN-ĭk kĭd-nē dĭ-ZĒZ) (CKD): A long-term condition where the kidneys progressively lose their ability to filter and eliminate waste products and excess fluids from the body. (Chapter 5.6)
Computed tomography scan of the kidney (kŏm-PYŌŌ-tĕd tŏ-mŏg-ră-fē skăn ăv thĕ kĭd-nē) (CT): An imaging procedure using X-rays and computer technology to create detailed images of the kidneys. (Chapter 5.7)
Creatinine (krē-ĂT-ĭ-nēn): A waste product from muscle metabolism, normally filtered by the kidneys and excreted in urine, used to measure kidney function. (Chapter 5.7)
Cystitis (sĭs-TĪ-tĭs): Inflammation of the bladder, usually due to a urinary tract infection, causing symptoms like pain and increased urge to urinate. (Chapter 5.6)
Cystoscopy (sĭs-TŎS-kŏ-pē): A diagnostic procedure where a cystoscope is used to visually examine the interior of the bladder and urethra. (Chapter 5.7)
Deamination (dē-am-ĭ-NĀ-shŏn): The removal of an amino group from an amino acid or other compound, which occurs in the liver and forms ammonia and urea. (Chapter 5.5)
Distended (dĭs-TĔN-dĕd): Stretched out or enlarged, often used to describe the bladder or abdomen when filled with fluid or gas. (Chapter 5.4)
Diuresis (dī-ū-RĒ-sĭs): Increased or excessive production of urine, which can occur in various medical conditions. (Chapter 5.5)
Diuretic (dī-ū-RĒT-ĭk): A substance or medication that increases the production and excretion of urine, used to treat conditions like high blood pressure. (Chapter 5.5)
Dysuria (dĭs-ŪR-ē-ă): Painful or difficult urination, often a symptom of urinary tract infections or other urological conditions. (Chapter 5.5)
Edema (ĭ-DĒ-mă): Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in the body’s tissues, often seen in kidney or heart disease. (Chapter 5.5)
End-stage renal disease (ĕnd-stāj rē-năl dĭ-ZĒZ) (ESRD): The final phase of chronic kidney disease where the kidneys can no longer meet the body’s needs, requiring dialysis or transplantation. (Chapter 5.6)
Enuresis (ĕn-ū-RĒ-sĭs): Involuntary urination, especially common among children during the night (nocturnal enuresis). (Chapter 5.5)
Frequency (FRĒ-kwĕn-sē): The need to urinate more often than usual, a symptom often associated with urinary tract infections or bladder conditions. (Chapter 5.5)
Glomerular filtration (glō-MER-yū-lăr fĭl-TRĀ-shŭn): The process in the kidneys where blood plasma is filtered through the glomeruli, allowing waste products and excess substances to be excreted while retaining necessary components. (Chapter 5.5)
Glomerular filtration rate (glō-MER-yū-lăr fĭl-TRĀ-shŭn rāt) (GFR): A measure of how well the kidneys filter waste from the blood, used as an indicator of kidney function. (Chapter 5.5)
Glomerulonephritis (glō-mĕr-ū-lō-nĕ-FRĪ-tĭs): An inflammation of the glomeruli in the kidneys, affecting their ability to filter blood properly, often leading to kidney damage. (Chapter 5.6)
Glomerulus (glō-MER-yū-lŭs): A network of tiny blood vessels in the kidneys that are involved in the filtration process to form urine. (Chapter 5.4)
Hematuria (hē-mă-TŪR-ē-ă): The presence of blood in the urine, which can be a sign of various urinary tract or kidney conditions. (Chapter 5.5)
Hemodialysis (hē-mō-dī-ĂL-ĭ-sĭs): A medical procedure where a machine filters waste and excess fluids from the blood, used in cases of kidney failure. (Chapter 5.7)
Hydronephrosis (hī-drō-nĕ-FRŌ-sĭs): Swelling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine, often caused by obstruction in the urinary tract. (Chapter 5.6)
Hydrostatic (hī-drō-STAT-ik): Pertaining to the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest. (Chapter 5.5)
Hyperkalemia (hī-pĕr-kă-LĒM-ē-ă): An abnormally high level of potassium in the blood, which can occur in kidney disease or from other causes. (Chapter 5.5)
Incontinence (ĭn-KŎN-tĭ-nĕns): The inability to control urination or defecation, leading to involuntary loss of urine or feces. (Chapter 5.4)
Indwelling catheter (ĭn-DWĔL-ĭng KĂTH-ĭ-tĕr): A type of urinary catheter that remains inside the bladder for continuous urine drainage. (Chapter 5.7)
Intermittent catheterization (ĭn-tĕr-MĬT-ĕnt KĂTH-ĕ-tĕr-ī-ZĀ-shŭn): A method of urinary catheterization where a catheter is temporarily inserted into the bladder to drain urine and then removed. (Chapter 5.7)
Intravenous pyelogram (ĭn-tră-vē-nŭs PĪ-ĕ-lō-gram) (IVP): An imaging test where a contrast dye is injected into a vein and X-rays are taken to visualize the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. (Chapter 5.7)
Kidneys (KĬD-nēz): A pair of organs in the urinary system responsible for filtering waste products and excess substances from the blood to form urine. (Chapter 5.4)
Kidney transplant (KĬD-nē TRĂNS-plănt): A surgical procedure to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy one from a donor. (Chapter 5.7)
Lithotripsy (LĬTH-ō-trĭp-sē): A medical procedure that uses shock waves or other means to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureters. (Chapter 5.6)
Micturate (MĬK-tū-rāt): To urinate or pass urine. (Chapter 5.4)
Nephrolithiasis (nĕf-rō-lĭ-THĪ-ă-sĭs): The presence of stones (calculi) in the kidney. (Chapter 5.6)
Nephrolithotomy (nĕf-rō-lĭ-THŎT-ŏ-mē): A surgical procedure to remove stones from the kidney. (Chapter 5.6)
Nephrologist (nĕ-FRŎL-ŏ-jĭst): A physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases. Nephrologists manage various conditions related to kidney function, including chronic kidney disease, kidney infections, kidney stones, and hypertension related to kidney problems. (Chapter 5.7)
Nephrology (nĕf-RŎL-ŏ-jē): Study of the physiology and diseases of the kidneys. (Chapter 5.7)
Nephron (NĔF-rŏn): The functional unit of the kidney, responsible for filtering and excreting waste products from the blood. (Chapter 5.4)
Nephroscope (NĔF-rŏ-skōp): An instrument used in surgery to visualize the interior of the kidney, particularly in procedures involving kidney stones. (Chapter 5.6)
Nocturia (nŏk-TŪR-ē-ă): The need to wake up and urinate frequently during the night. (Chapter 5.5)
Oliguria (ŏ-lĭ-GŪR-ē-ă): The production of abnormally small amounts of urine, often indicative of kidney dysfunction or dehydration. (Chapter 5.5)
Oncotic pressure (ŏn-KŎT-ĭk PRĔSH-ŭr): The form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins, particularly albumin, in the blood plasma or other solutions. (Chapter 5.5)
Osmosis (ŏz-MŌ-sĭs): The movement of water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration. (Chapter 5.5)
Partial nephrectomy (pär-shŭl nĕf-RĔK-tŏ-mē): A surgical procedure to remove a portion of the kidney, typically done to treat kidney cancer while preserving kidney function. (Chapter 5.6)
Peritoneal dialysis (pĕr-ĭ-tŏ-NĒ-ăl dī-ĂL-ĭ-sĭs): A form of dialysis where the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum) acts as a filter to remove waste from the blood when the kidneys are not functioning properly. (Chapter 5.7)
Polycystic kidney disease (pŏl-ē-SĬS-tĭk KĬD-nē dĭ-ZĒZ) (PKD): A genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys, often leading to kidney failure. (Chapter 5.6)
Polyuria (pŏl-ē-ŪR-ē-ă): The production of abnormally large volumes of dilute urine, often a symptom of conditions like diabetes. (Chapter 5.5)
Post-void residual (pōst voyd rĭ-ZĬD-ū-ăl): The amount of urine remaining in the bladder after urination, as measured for diagnostic purposes. (Chapter 5.6)
Pyelonephritis (pī-ĕl-ō-nĕ-FRĪ-tĭs): A type of urinary tract infection where one or both kidneys become infected and inflamed. (Chapter 5.6)
Pyuria (pī-ŪR-ē-ă): The presence of white blood cells in the urine, indicating an infection in the urinary tract. (Chapter 5.5)
Radical nephrectomy (răd-ĭ-kăl nĕf-RĔK-tŏ-mē): A surgical procedure to remove the entire kidney, along with the adrenal gland, surrounding tissue, and often nearby lymph nodes, usually for cancer treatment. (Chapter 5.6)
Renal (RĒ-năl): Pertaining to the kidneys. (Chapter 5.4)
Renal calculus (RĒ-năl KĂL-kŭ-lŭs): Another term for a kidney stone. (Chapter 5.6)
Renal transplant (RĒ-năl TRĂNS-plănt): Surgical procedure to place a functioning kidney from a donor into a person with end-stage renal disease. (Chapter 5.7)
Retrograde pyelography (rĕ-trō-grād pī-ĕ-lō-gră-fē): A type of X-ray examination of the upper urinary tract, including the kidneys and ureters, typically performed during a cystoscopy. (Chapter 5.7)
Sepsis (SĔP-sĭs): A life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to an infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. Sepsis can lead to significant health complications or death, especially if not recognized early and treated promptly. It often presents with fever, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and confusion. (Chapter 5.6)
Simple nephrectomy (sĭm-pĭl nĕf-RĔK-tŏ-mē): A surgical procedure to remove a kidney, typically for conditions like severe damage or cancer. (Chapter 5.6)
Sphincters (SFĬNK-tĕrz): Circular muscles that constrict and close a natural body passage; in the urinary system, they control the release of urine from the bladder. (Chapter 5.4)
Stress urinary incontinence (strĕs YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē ĭn-KŎN-tĭ-nĕns): Involuntary leakage of urine during activities that increase abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, or exercising. (Chapter 5.6)
Stricture (STRIK-chŭr): A narrowing of a tube or passage in the body, such as the urethra, often leading to restricted flow of fluids like urine. (Chapter 5.7)
Transurethral resection of the prostate (trăns-yū-RĒ-thrăl rĭ-SĔK-shŭn ăv thĕ PRŌS-tāt) (TURP): A surgical procedure to remove part of the prostate gland to treat urinary problems. (Chapter 5.6)
Urea (yū-RĒ-ă): A nitrogenous compound produced in the liver as a waste product from the breakdown of proteins, excreted in the urine. (Chapter 5.5)
Ureter (YŪR-ĕ-tĕr): A tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. (Chapter 5.4)
Ureteroscopy (yū-rĕ-tĕr-ŎS-kŏ-pē): A procedure using a ureteroscope to examine or treat disorders of the urinary tract, especially the ureters and kidneys. (Chapter 5.7)
Urethra (yū-RĒ-thră): The tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. (Chapter 5.4)
Urgency (ŬR-jĕn-sē): A sudden, compelling need to urinate, often a symptom of urinary tract infections or overactive bladder. (Chapter 5.5)
Urinal (ŪR-ĭn-ăl): A receptacle or device for collecting urine, especially in healthcare settings. (Chapter 5.5)
Urinalysis (yūr-ĭ-NĂL-ĭ-sĭs) (UA): A test of the urine involving physical, chemical, and microscopic examination to detect disorders or diseases. (Chapter 5.7)
Urinary (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē): Relating to urine or the organs of the urinary system. (Chapter 5.4)
Urinary catheterization (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē kăth-ĭ-tĕr-ī-ZĀ-shŭn): The process of inserting a catheter into the bladder through the urethra for the purpose of draining urine. (Chapter 5.7)
Urinary incontinence (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē ĭn-KŎN-tĭ-nĕns): The inability to control urination, resulting in involuntary leakage of urine. (Chapter 5.6)
Urinary retention (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē rĭ-TĔN-shŭn): The inability to empty the bladder completely, resulting in accumulation of urine. (Chapter 5.6)
Urinary tract (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē trăkt): The system of organs that produce, store, and eliminate urine, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. (Chapter 5.4)
Urinary tract infection (YŪR-ĭ-nĕr-ē trăkt ĭn-FĔK-shŭn) (UTI): An infection in any part of the urinary system, most commonly the bladder and urethra. (Chapter 5.6)
Urinate (YŪR-ĭ-nāt): The act of passing urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. (Chapter 5.4)
Urine culture and sensitivity (yū-rēn KŬL-chŭr ănd sĕn-sĭ-TĬV-ĭ-tē) (C&S): A laboratory test to identify the bacteria causing a urinary tract infection and determine the most effective antibiotics for treatment. (Chapter 5.7)
Urine dip (yū-rēn dĭp): A quick, initial screening test using a dipstick to detect abnormalities in urine, such as the presence of blood, protein, or signs of infection. (Chapter 5.7)
Urodynamic flow testing (yū-rō-dī-NĂM-ĭk flō tĕs-tĭng): A series of diagnostic tests that assess the function of the bladder and urethra, specifically focusing on urine storage and release. (Chapter 5.7)
Urologist (yū-RŎL-ŏ-jĭst): A physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the urinary system and male reproductive organs. (Chapter 5.7)
Urology (yū-RŎL-ŏ-jē): Study of the male and female urinary systems as well as the male reproductive system. (Chapter 5.7)
Vesicoureteral reflux (vĕs-ĭ-kō-yū-RĒT-ĕr-ăl rē-FLŬKS) (VUR): A condition where urine flows backward from the bladder into the ureters and sometimes the kidneys, potentially leading to kidney damage. (Chapter 5.6)
Void (voyd): To empty the bladder; to urinate. (Chapter 5.4)
Voiding cystourethrogram (VOY-dĭng SĬS-tō-ūr-ĒTH-rō-gram) (VCUG): A medical imaging test used to examine the bladder and urethra while the bladder fills and empties. The test involves the insertion of a catheter into the bladder, through which a contrast dye is introduced, followed by X-ray imaging. VCUG is often used to diagnose issues like bladder and urethral dysfunction, vesicoureteral reflux, and urinary tract obstructions, especially in children. (Chapter 5.7)