| congenital virilizing adrenal hyperplasia | A series of inherited inborn errors of metabolism with hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex and overproduction of virilizing hormones. Most common forms are due to partial or complete 21-hydroxylase deficiency, leading to increased ACTH production by the pituitary, stimulating adrenal growth and function. Severe form is characterised by salt-losing state. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| foetal adrenal cortex | An extensive area of the adrenal gland present in primates during foetal life and for a short period after birth; located between the definitive cortex and the medulla, it contains large steroid-secreting cells arranged in a reticular pattern; involution of this zone in humans is largely completed by three months after birth. Synonym: androgenic zone, foetal reticularis, foetal zone, provisional cortex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acidophil adenoma | <endocrinology, oncology, tumour> A benign tumour, usually found in the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, whose cells stain with acid dyes. Such pituitary tumours may give rise to excessive secretion of growth hormone, resulting in gigantism or acromegaly. A specific type of acidophil adenoma may give rise to nonpuerperal galactorrhoea. (25 Jun 1999) |
| ACTH-producing adenoma | <tumour> A pituitary tumour composed of corticotrophs that produce ACTH, often a basophilic adenoma; may give rise to Cushing's disease or Nelson's syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoma | <oncology, tumour> A benign epithelial tumour in which the cells form recognisable glandular structures or in which the cells are clearly derived from glandular epithelium. (18 Nov 1997) |
| adenoma, basophil | A small tumour of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland whose cells stain with basic dyes. It may give rise to excessive secretion of acth, resulting in cushing's syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma, bile duct | A benign tumour of the intrahepatic bile ducts. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma, chromophobe | A tumour of the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland whose cells do not stain readily with either acid or basic dyes and whose presence may be associated with hypopituitarism. Although classically these adenomas have been said to be composed of sparsely granulated or degranulated (nonfunctioning) cells, some contain functioning cells and may be associated with a hyperpituitary state, e.g., acromegaly or cushing's syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma fibrosum | <oncology, tumour> A benign solid growth, usually found in the breast. (09 Oct 1997) |
| adenoma, islet cell | A benign tumour of the islets of langerhans that may occur anywhere throughout the pancreas. Such tumours may result in hyperinsulinism or zollinger-ellison syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma, liver cell | A benign epithelial tumour of the liver. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma of nipple | A benign tumour which may clinically resemble Paget's disease, but which is a papillary or solid growth of columnar and myoepithelial cells producing a florid pseudoinfiltrative pattern. Synonym: adenoma of nipple, erosive adenomatosis of nipple. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adenoma, oxyphilic | A usually benign adenoma composed of oncocytes with granular, eosinophilic cytoplasm due to the presence of abundant mitochondria. It is often composed of huerthle cells found in the thyroid. It occurs uncommonly in the kidney, salivary glands, and endocrine glands. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma, pleomorphic | A benign, slow-growing tumour, most commonly of the salivary gland, occurring as a small, painless, firm nodule, usually of the parotid gland, but also found in any major or accessory salivary gland anywhere in the oral cavity. It is most often seen in women in the fifth decade. Histologically, the tumour presents a variety of cells: cuboidal, columnar, and squamous cells, showing all forms of epithelial growth. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adenoma sebaceum | <radiology> Seen in tuberous sclerosis, raised, red papules on the face, mainly about the nose, misnomer: they're really perivascular fibromata (12 Dec 1998) |