Dictionary

Body systems

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

cerebral palsyA group of lifelong disorders of movement and posture caused by damage to the developing brain before, during or soon after birth.

cerebrospinalRelating to the brain and the spinal cord.

cerebrospinal fluidThe clear, watery fluid that bathes and cushions the brain and spinal cord.

cerebrovascularHaving to do with the blood vessels that supply the brain.

cerebrovascular accidentA stroke: injury to part of the brain because a blood vessel in the brain is blocked or has burst.

cerebrumThe largest part of the brain, made of two halves, that handles thinking, memory, language, sensation and voluntary movement.

cerumenEarwax: the soft yellow or brown substance made by glands in the outer ear canal.

cervicalRelating to the neck, or to the cervix, the lower end of the uterus.

cervical cancerCancer that starts in the cells of the cervix, the lower, narrow end of the uterus that opens into the vagina.

cervical dilationThe opening of the cervix during labor, measured in centimeters from 0 to 10.

cervixThe narrow lower end of the uterus, which opens into the vagina.

cesareanRelating to the birth of a baby through a surgical cut in the mother's abdomen and uterus.

cesarean birthBirth of a baby through surgical cuts in the belly and the uterus.

Chadwick signA bluish or purplish color of the cervix, vagina and vulva in early pregnancy.

CHDCoronary heart disease, or congenital heart disease, depending on the note.

chest painPain or discomfort felt anywhere in the chest.

chest tubeA tube placed through the chest wall into the space around the lung to drain air, blood or fluid.

childbirthThe process of giving birth to a baby, through the vagina or by cesarean surgery.

ChlamydiaA sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis; also the name of the bacterium.

cholecystectomySurgery to remove the gallbladder.

cholecystitisInflammation of the gallbladder.

cholelithiasisStones in the gallbladder.

cholesterolA waxy fat made by the liver and found in animal foods, which the body uses to build cells and hormones.

chromosomeA thread-like structure in the nucleus of a cell that carries the genes, made of tightly packed DNA.

chronicLasting a long time or coming back again and again, usually for three months or more.

chronic bronchitisA long-term inflammation of the airways (bronchi) in the lungs, and one of the main forms of COPD.

chronic conditionA health problem that lasts a long time, usually a year or more, and needs ongoing care or limits daily life.

chronic diseaseA health condition that lasts a long time, usually a year or more, and is managed rather than cured.

chronic hypertensionHigh blood pressure that lasts over time; in pregnancy, high blood pressure that began before pregnancy or before 20 weeks.

chronic illnessA long-lasting health condition, usually of three months or more, that can be managed but often not cured.

chronic inflammationInflammation that lasts for months or years instead of clearing in days.

chronic kidney diseaseKidney damage or reduced kidney function that lasts longer than three months.

chronic painPain that lasts longer than about 3 months or past the time tissues normally take to heal.

chymeThe thick, soupy mix of partly digested food and digestive juices that passes from the stomach into the small intestine.

ciliaTiny hair-like structures on the surface of some cells that move in waves.

circulationThe movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels around the body.

circulatoryRelating to the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels.

circulatory overloadMore fluid in the blood vessels than the heart and circulation can handle.

circulatory systemThe heart, blood vessels and blood, which together move blood around the body.

cirrhosisLong-term scarring of the liver, in which scar tissue replaces healthy tissue and keeps the liver from working normally.

clavicleThe long, slightly S-shaped bone that runs from the top of the breastbone to the shoulder; the collarbone.

cleft lipA split or opening in the upper lip that is present at birth.

cleft palateA birth defect in which the roof of the mouth has an opening because it did not close during development.

clitorisA small, very sensitive organ at the top of the vulva, where the inner folds of skin meet.

CLLChronic lymphocytic leukemia: a slow-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow in which too many mature-looking lymphocytes build up.

clottingThe process by which blood thickens into a gel to plug a damaged vessel and stop bleeding; also called coagulation.

clotting factorAny of the proteins in blood plasma that work together in a chain to form a blood clot.

clubbingA widening and rounding of the fingertips, with the angle where the nail meets the skin flattened to 180 degrees or more.

clubfootA birth defect in which one or both feet are twisted inward and downward.

coagulationThe process by which blood changes from a liquid into a gel, forming a clot.