Dictionary

Body systems

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

cranialRelating to the skull, or toward the head end of the body.

cranial nerveOne of the 12 pairs of nerves that come straight from the brain and brainstem rather than the spinal cord.

craniumThe part of the skull that encloses and protects the brain.

creatinineA waste product of muscle that the kidneys remove from the blood; its blood level is used to measure how well the kidneys work.

crepitusA crackling, grating or popping sound or feeling, as from a joint, broken bone ends, or air trapped under the skin.

CRHCorticotropin-releasing hormone: a hormone from the hypothalamus that signals the pituitary gland to release ACTH.

Crohn diseaseA long-term inflammatory bowel disease that can affect any part of the digestive tract, through the full thickness of its wall.

croupA viral infection of the voice box, windpipe and large airways, mostly in young children.

crutchesA pair of walking aids, used under the arms or on the forearms, that take weight off one or both legs.

cryptorchidismA condition in which one or both testicles have not moved down into the scrotum.

Cushing diseaseA condition in which a pituitary gland tumor makes too much ACTH, which drives the adrenal glands to make too much cortisol.

Cushing syndromeA condition caused by too much cortisol in the body over a long time.

cutaneousHaving to do with the skin.

cyanosisA blue or gray color of the skin, lips or nail beds.

cystA closed sac in the body filled with fluid, air or semi-solid material.

cystic fibrosisAn inherited disease in which the body makes thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs, pancreas and other organs.

cystitisInflammation of the urinary bladder.

cytokineA small protein released by immune and other cells that carries signals between cells, especially during inflammation.

cytomegalovirusA common virus of the herpes family that stays in the body for life after infection.