| acute pulmonary alveolitis | Acute inflammation involving exudate into the pulmonary alveoli and impaired gas exchange; may result in necrosis with haemorrhage into the lungs; occurs in Goodpasture's syndrome, in association with a glomerulonephritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| acute pulmonary eosinophilia | <chest medicine> A self-limiting inflammation in the lungs where there is associated infiltration of eosinophils into lung tissue. Chest X-ray reveals pulmonary infiltrates and full blood count shows increased numbers of eosinophils. The cause is unknown and the disease often resolves without treatment. Some forms may be treated with oral corticosteroids. Complications include restrictive cardiomyopathy due to fibrosis of the lining of the heart. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute pyelonephritis | Acute inflammation of the renal parenchyma and pelvis characterised by small cortical abscesses and yellowish streaks in the medulla due to pus in the collecting tubules and interstitial tissue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute radiation syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome caused by exposure of the body to large amounts of radiation, (e.g., from certain forms of therapy, accidents, and nuclear explosions; it is divided into three major forms which are, in ascending order of severity, the haematogic, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system-cardiovascular forms; its clinical manifestations are divided into prodromal, latent, overt, and recovery stages. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute reflex bone atrophy | Atrophy of bones, commonly of the carpal or tarsal bones, following a slight injury such as a sprain. See: causalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Synonym: acute reflex bone atrophy, posttraumatic osteoporosis, Sudeck's syndrome. Origin: L. English sweat (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute rejection | Graft rejection which usually begins within 10 days after a graft has been transplanted into a genetically dissimilar host. Lesions at the site of the graft characteristically are infiltrated with large numbers of lymphocytes and macrophages which cause tissue damage. See: primary rejection. Synonym: acute rejection. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute renal failure | <nephrology> A sudden decline in renal function may be triggered by a number of acute disease processes. Examples include sepsis (infection), shock, trauma, kidney stones, kidney infection, drug toxicity (aspirin or lithium), poisons or toxins (drug abuse) or after injection with an iodinated contrast dye (adverse effect). Chronic renal failure represents a slow decline in kidney function over time. Chronic renal failure may be caused by a number of disorders which include long-standing hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, lupus or sickle cell anaemia. Both forms of renal failure result in a life-threatening metabolic derangement. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acute respiratory failure | Loss of pulmonary function either acute or chronic that results in hypoxaemia or hypercarbia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute rheumatic arthritis | Arthritis due to rheumatic fever. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute rickets | Bone changes seen in infantile scurvy, consisting of subperiosteal haemorrhage and deficient osteoid tissue formation; often used to indicate simultaneous occurrence of rickets and scurvy. Synonym: acute rickets. Hereditary hypophosphatemic rickets, with hypercalciuria, an inherited disorder in which there is a defect in renal tubular reabsorption. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute schizophrenia | A disorder in which the symptoms of schizophrenia occur abruptly; they may subside or become chronic over time. Synonym: acute schizophrenic episode. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute schizophrenic episode | A disorder in which the symptoms of schizophrenia occur abruptly; they may subside or become chronic over time. Synonym: acute schizophrenic episode. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute situational reaction | An acute emotional reaction related to extreme environmental stress. Synonym: acute situational reaction. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute spinal cord compression | <radiology> Signs and symptoms of cord compression show progression within 24 hours or less: pain, weakness, autonomic dysfunction, sensory loss, ataxia Diagnostic considerations: Primary or secondary malignancy of epidural space or vertebrae, Trauma, Inflammatory process, Osteoarthritis REF: MacNeil BJ, Abrams HL. Brigham and Women's Hospital Handbook of Diagnostic Imaging. Chapter 35. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acute splenic tumour | Acute splenitis, enlargement, and softening of the spleen, usually due to bacteraemia or severe bacterial toxaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |