Dictionary

Body systems

Anatomy and the conditions of each body system, from the heart and lungs to the skin.

C. difficileClostridioides difficile, a spore-forming bacterium that can infect the colon (the large intestine).

cachexiaSevere, ongoing loss of muscle and fat, with weakness, that eating more does not fully reverse.

calcitoninA hormone made by the thyroid gland that lowers blood calcium; a lab-made form is used as a drug.

calciumA mineral that builds bones and teeth and that nerves, muscles, the heart and blood clotting need to work.

callusA thick, hard patch of skin formed by repeated rubbing or pressure; also, the new bone that forms as a fracture heals.

calorieA unit that measures the energy in food and the energy the body uses.

candidiasisAn infection caused by Candida, a yeast (a kind of fungus).

caneA walking stick used to give support and balance while walking.

capillaryOne of the tiniest blood vessels, joining the smallest arteries to the smallest veins.

capillary refillA quick test that measures how fast color returns to a nail bed after it is pressed and released.

caput succedaneumSwelling of the soft tissue of a newborn's scalp, formed by pressure on the head during birth.

carbohydrateOne of the main nutrients in food, made of sugars and starches, that the body uses for energy.

carbon dioxideA gas made by the body's cells as waste, carried in the blood to the lungs and breathed out.

carbuncleA cluster of boils joined under the skin: a deep infection of several neighboring hair follicles.

carcinogenAnything that can cause cancer, such as tobacco smoke, asbestos, UV light or certain chemicals and viruses.

carcinomaA cancer that starts in the cells that line the skin or the inside and outside surfaces of organs.

cardiacRelating to the heart.

cardiac arrestThe sudden stop of the heart's pumping, so blood no longer reaches the brain and body.

cardiac cycleThe series of events in one heartbeat, from the start of one beat to the start of the next.

cardiac monitorA machine that shows the heart's electrical rhythm on a screen without stopping, using electrodes on the chest.

cardiac muscleThe muscle tissue that makes up the walls of the heart.

cardiac outputThe amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.

cardiogenic shockA type of shock in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to supply the body's organs.

cardiologyThe branch of medicine that studies and treats the heart and blood vessels.

cardiomyopathyA disease of the heart muscle itself that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood.

cardiopulmonaryRelating to the heart and lungs together.

cardiovascularRelating to the heart and blood vessels.

cardiovascular diseaseAny disease of the heart or blood vessels.

cardiovascular systemThe heart and blood vessels, which together move blood through the body.

cardioversionChanging an abnormal fast heart rhythm back to normal with a timed electric shock or with drugs.

carotidHaving to do with the carotid arteries, the two large arteries on each side of the neck that carry blood to the head and brain.

carotid pulseThe pulse felt in the neck over the carotid artery, in the groove beside the windpipe.

cartilageFirm, smooth, rubbery tissue that cushions joints and gives shape to parts such as the ear, nose and windpipe.

cataractClouding of the lens of the eye.

catecholamineAny of a group of hormones and neurotransmitters, mainly epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine, that act in the body's stress response.

catheter-associated urinary tract infectionA urinary tract infection that develops in a person who has, or recently had, a urinary catheter in place.

cavaShort for vena cava, one of the two largest veins, which bring blood from the body back to the heart.

cavityA hollow space within the body or an organ; also a hole in a tooth caused by decay.

CD8A marker on the surface of cytotoxic (killer) T cells, the white blood cells that destroy infected and cancer cells; also those cells themselves.

celiac diseaseAn autoimmune disease in which eating gluten, a protein in wheat, barley and rye, damages the lining of the small intestine.

cellularRelating to cells, the smallest living units that make up the body.

cellulitisA bacterial infection of the deeper layers of the skin and the tissue just under it.

central nervous systemThe brain and the spinal cord together.

central venous catheterAn IV catheter whose tip sits in a large vein near the heart, used for long-term drugs, fluids, nutrition or blood draws.

central venous pressureThe blood pressure in the large vein near the heart's right atrium, measured through a central line.

cephalohematomaA collection of blood between a newborn's skull bone and the thin covering over it.

cerebellumThe part of the brain at the back, under the cerebrum, that coordinates movement, balance and posture.

cerebralHaving to do with the brain, especially the cerebrum, its largest part.

cerebral cortexThe thin, folded outer layer of the cerebrum, where thinking, language, memory, voluntary movement and sensation are handled.

cerebral edemaSwelling of the brain caused by extra fluid in the brain tissue.