| leukemia | <haematology> An acute or chronic disease of unknown cause in man and other warm blooded animals that involves the blood forming organs, is characterised by an abnormal increase in the number of leucocytes in the tissues of the body with or without a corresponding increase of those in the circulating blood and is classified according of the type leucocyte most prominently involved. (18 Nov 1997) |
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| basophilic | Denoting tissue components having an affinity for basic dyes under specific pH conditions. Synonym: basophil, basophile. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic degeneration | Blue staining of connective tissues when haematoxylin-eosin stain is used; found in such conditions as solar elastosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic leukaemia | A form of granulocytic leukaemia in which there are unusually great numbers of basophilic granulocytes in the tissues and circulating blood; in some instances, the immature and mature basophilic forms may represent from 40 to 80% of the total numbers of white blood cells. Synonym: mast cell leukaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic leukocyte | A polymorphonuclear leukocyte characterised by many large, coarse, metachromatic granules (dark purple or blue-black when treated with Wright's or similar stains) that usually fill the cytoplasm and may almost mask the nucleus; these leukocyte's are unique in that they usually do not occur in increased numbers as the result of acute infectious disease, and their phagocytic qualities are probably not significant; the granules, which contain heparin and histamine, may degranulate in response to hypersensitivity reactions and can be of significance in general inflammation. Synonym: basocyte, basophilocyte, mast leukocyte. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic leukocytosis | The presence of an abnormally large number of basophilic granulocytes in the blood. Synonym: basocytosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic leukopenia | A decrease in the number of basophilic granulocytes normally present in the circulating blood (difficult to evaluate, owing to the small and variable number normally present). Synonym: basocytopenia, basopenia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| basophilic substance | The material consisting of granular endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes that occurs in nerve cell bodies and dendrites. Synonym: basophil substance, basophilic substance, chromophil substance, Nissl bodies, Nissl granules, substantia basophilia, tigroid bodies, tigroid substance. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abdomen, acute | Clinical syndrome characterised by abdominal pain of great severity associated with other symptoms and signs, usually those of acute peritonitis, which might well be the result of a ruptured abdominal viscus or a similar abdominal catastrophe requiring urgent surgical operation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute | 1. Sharp, poignant. 2. Having a short and relatively severe course. Origin: L. Acutus = sharp (18 Nov 1997) |
| acute abdomen | Any serious acute intra-abdominal condition (such as appendicitis) attended by pain, tenderness, and muscular rigidity, and for which emergency surgery must be considered. Synonym: surgical abdomen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute abscess | A recently formed abscess with little or no fibrosis in the wall of the cavity. Synonym: hot abscess. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute adrenal crisis | <endocrinology> An abrupt life-threatening state which is caused by insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal gland. A typical finding in Addison's disease. Individuals who have been taking corticosteroids (glucocorticoids) for a prolonged period of time (weeks to months) are at risk for acute adrenal crisis if the medication is stopped abruptly. For this reason, corticosteroid medication are withdrawn slowly on a diminishing dosing schedule. Symptoms include low blood pressure (shock), weakness, headache, vomiting, fever chills, tachycardia and sweating. Treatment includes blood pressure support and intravenous hydrocortisone. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute adrenocortical insufficiency | Severe adrenocortical insufficiency when an intercurrent illness or trauma causes an increased demand for adrenocortical hormones in a patient with adrenal insufficiency due to disease or use of relatively large amounts of similar hormones as therapy; characterised by nausea, vomiting, hypotension, and frequently hyperthemia, hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, and hypoglycaemia; can be fatal if untreated. Synonym: addisonian crisis, adrenal crisis, Bernard-Sergent syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute African sleeping sickness | A disease of humans caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in eastern Africa from Ethiopia and Uganda south to Zimbabwe; it is clinically similar to Gambian trypanosomiasis but of shorter duration and more acute in form; patients suffer repeated episodes of pyrexia, become anaemic, and die commonly from cardiac failure. Synonym: acute African sleeping sickness, acute trypanosomiasis, East African sleeping sickness, East African trypanosomiasis. (05 Mar 2000) |