Glossary

Chronic inflammation and damage of large arteries in the face and head; symptoms include headache, scalp tenderness, loss of vision, and facial pain.

Also known as: Analyte

In the clinical laboratory, a substance from the body that is undergoing analysis.  In lay terms, often referred to as a "test."

Also known as: Thrombopenia

A decrease in the number of blood platelets

Also known as: Thrombopenia

A decrease in the number of blood platelets

Embolism— a condition in which material (tissue, fat, air, blood clot, etc.—called an embolus) travels through the bloodstream and then becomes lodged in a vein or artery and blocks the flow of blood through that blood vessel.

Thromboembolism—a blood clot (thrombus) that breaks free in the blood stream and blocks a blood vessel. This can occur in a vein (venous thromboembolism) or in an artery (arterial thromboembolism).

An inherited or acquired tendency to form blood clots within a vein or artery

The formation of a blood clot within an artery or a vein.

The clinical signs and symptoms associated with a blood clot in a vein or artery. This can be a life-threatening event.

Organ located behind the upper breastbone at the base of the neck that is part of the lymphatic and immune systems; disease-fighting white blood cells called T-cells develop and mature in the thymus before entering circulation. In humans, the thymus is normally active in childhood but becomes less active after puberty, eventually losing most immune activity by adulthood.

an inflamed thyroid

A sample of urine collected over a specified period of time; for a short collection (2 hours), you may be asked to do this at the laboratory. For longer collections (such as 12 hours or 24 hours), you will do this at home. At the beginning of the time period, empty your bladder and discard that urine. Note the time. Collect all urine voided for the specified period of time in the container provided. At the end of the time period, empty your bladder and ADD this urine to the container. Note the time. Bring all of the urine collected to the lab or doctor's office. If you miss collecting one or more voids, consult your doctor or the laboratory for further instructions. (See 24-hour urine sample)

• A collection of cells having a common purpose in the body, such as muscle tissue or kidney tissue.
• A disposable piece of absorbent paper, used especially as a handkerchief or for cleaning the skin. (Tissue-Paper).
• Rich or fine material of a delicate or gauzy texture.
• An intricate structure or network made from a number of connected items.

In the clinical laboratory, titer is a unit of measurement. It is most often thought of as the lowest dilution of a substance in which a reaction takes place. It is usually expressed as a ratio (i.e., 1:20). For example, serum containing an antibody can be diluted with saline in a serial manner producing dilutions 1:5, 1:10, 1:20, 1:40, etc. If the lowest dilution that a reaction can still be detected between the antibody and the antigen it is directed against is 1:20, then that is the result of the antibody titer.

Applied to the surface of the skin

Also known as: Preeclampsia

A condition during pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and fluid retention. If untreated, it can lead to eclampsia and convulsions that can be life-threatening to the mother and baby.