Term | Definition |
electrolyte | mineral salt (sodium, potassium, or calcium) that carries an electrical charge |
filtrate | fluid that passes from the blood through the capillary walls of the glomeruli into Bowman capsule |
nitrogeneous waste | product of protein metabolism that include urea, uric acid, creatine, creatinine, an ammonia |
peristaltic wave | sequence of rhythmic contraction of smooth muscles of a hollow organ to force material forward and prevent backflow |
peritoneum | serous membrane that lines the abdominopelvic cavity and covers most of the organs within the cavity |
pH | symbol that expresses the alkalinity of acidity of a solution |
albumin/o | albumin, protein |
azot/o | nitrogeneous compounds in the blood |
bacteri/o | bacteria |
cyst/o | bladder |
vesic/o | bladder |
glomerul/o | glomerulus |
kal/i | potassium |
keton/o | ketone bodies (acids and acetones) |
lith/o | stone, calculus |
meat/o | opening, meatus |
nephr/o | kidney |
ren/o | kidney |
noct/o | night |
olig/o | scanty |
py/o | pus |
pyel/o | renal pelvis |
ur/o | urine, urinary tract |
ureter/o | ureter |
urethr/o | urethra |
genesis | forming, producing, origin |
iasis | abnnormal condition (produced by something specified) |
uria | urine |
dia | through, across |
retro | backward, behind |
anuria | absence of production or output |
BNO (bladder neck obstruction) | blockage at the base of the bladder that reduces or prevents urine from passing into the urethra |
cystocele | prolapsing or downward displacement of the bladder due to weakening of the supporting tissues between a woman's bladder and vagina |
dysuria | painful or difficult urination, commonly described as a burning sensation while urinating |
(ESRD) end-stage renal disease | any type of kidney disease in which there is little or no remaining kidney function, requiring the patient to undergo dialysis or kidney transplant for survival |
enuresis | involuntary discharge of urine; also called incontinence |
fistula | abnormal passage from a hollow organ to the surface or from one organ to another |
hydronephoresis | abnormal dilation of the renal pelvis and the calyces of one or both kidneys due to pressure from accumulated urine that cannot flow past an obstruction in the urinary tract |
IC (interstitial cystitis) | chronic inflammation of the bladder wall that is not caused by bacterial infection and is not responsive to conventional antibiotic therapy; aka painful bladder syndrome |
nephrotic syndrome | loss of large amounts of plasma protein, usually albumin, through urine due to an increased permeability of the glomerular membrane |
neurogenic bladder | impairment of bladder control due to brain or nerve conduction |
PKD (polycystic kidney disease) | inherited disease in which sacs of fluid called cysts develop in the kidneys |
urgency | sensation of the need to void immediately |
(VUR) vesicoureteral reflux | disorder caused by the failure of urine to pass through the ureters to the bladder, usually due to impairment of valve between the ureter and bladder or obstruction of the ureter |
wilms tumor | rapidly developing malignant neoplasm of the kidney that usually occurs in children |
dialysis | mechanical filtering of process used to clease the blood of toxic substances, such as nitrogenous wastes, when kidneys fail to function properly |
hemodialysis | type of dialysis where artificial kidney machine removes waste-filled blood, filters, and returns the clean blood to the bloodtream |
peritoneal | type of dialysis in which toxic substances are removed from the body by using the peritoneal membrane as the filter by perfussing (flushing) the peritoneal cavity with a warm, sterile chemical solution |
kidney transplant | replacement of a diseased kidney with one from a compatible donor |
nephropexy | fixation of a floating or mobile kidney |
nephrostomy | passage of a tube through the skin and into the renal pelvis to drain urine to a collecting receptacle outside the body when th ureters are unable to do so |
stent placement | insertion of a mesh tube into a natural passage conduit in the body to prevent, or counteract a disease-induced, localized flow constriction |
urethrotomy | incision of a urethral stricture |
EMG (electromyography) | measures the contraction of muscles that control urination using electrodes placed in the rectum and urethra |
cystoscopy | examination of the urinary bladder for evidence of pathology, obtaining biopsies of tumors or other growths , and removal of polyps using a specialized endoscope |
(BUN) blood urea nitrogen | determines the amount of nitrogen in the blood that comes from urea, a waste product of protein metabolism |
culture and sensitivity (C&S) | determines the causative organism of an infection and identifies how the organism responds to various antibiotics |
urinalysis (UA) | urine screening test that includes physical observation, chemical tests, and misroscopic evaluation |
ultrasonography (US) | high frequency ultrasound waves are directed at soft tissue and reflected as echos to produce an image on the monitor |
IVP (intravenous pyelography) | imaging of the urinary tract after IV injection of a contrast medium; also called excretory urography (EU) |
nuclear scan | technique in which a radiopharmaceutical called a tracer is introduced into the body, and a specialized gamma camera is used to produce images of organs and structures |
renal | nuclear scan of the kidneys used to determine their size, shape, and position |
VCUG (voiding cystourethrography) | xray of the bladder and urethra performed before, during, and after voiding using a contrast medium to enhance imaging |