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Dictionary

Body systems

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

effacementThe thinning and shortening of the cervix as labor approaches and goes on, measured from 0 to 100 percent.
efferentCarrying something away from a center or organ, such as nerve signals from the brain to the muscles.
effusionFluid that has leaked out and collected in a body space, such as around the lungs, the heart or in a joint.
ejaculationThe release of semen from the penis, usually at orgasm.
ejection fractionThe percentage of blood in the left ventricle that is pumped out with each heartbeat.
elder abuseHarm or neglect of an older adult by someone they should be able to trust, such as a family member or caregiver.
electroconvulsive therapyA treatment for some severe mental illnesses in which a brief electric current is passed through the brain under anesthesia to cause a short seizure.
electrolyteA mineral that carries an electric charge when dissolved in body fluids, such as sodium, potassium, calcium and chloride.
eliminationThe removal of waste from the body, mainly as urine and stool; also the removal of a drug from the body.
embolismThe blocking of a blood vessel by a mass carried there in the blood (an embolus), such as a clot, fat or an air bubble.
emesisVomiting, or the material that is vomited.
emphysemaA long-term lung disease in which the walls of the tiny air sacs are damaged and lose their stretch.
encephalitisInflammation of the brain tissue.
encephalopathyA general term for any disease or damage that changes how the brain works.
encopresisRepeated passing of stool in places other than the toilet, such as clothing, by a child aged 4 or older.
end-stageDescribes the last stage of a long-term disease, when an organ has almost stopped working.
end-stage renal diseaseThe last stage of chronic kidney disease, when the kidneys have lost almost all of their function for good.
endocarditisInflammation of the inner lining of the heart, most often on the heart valves.
endocrineRelating to the glands that release hormones straight into the blood, or to those hormones.
endocrine glandA gland that releases hormones straight into the blood instead of through a tube or duct.
endocrine systemThe glands that make hormones and release them into the blood to control body functions.
endocrinologyThe branch of medicine that deals with hormones and the glands that make them.
endometriosisA condition in which tissue like the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus.
endometriumThe inner lining of the uterus, which thickens each month and is shed as the menstrual period if no pregnancy begins.
endorphinA natural chemical made in the brain that eases pain and creates a sense of well-being.
endotrachealInside the trachea, the windpipe.
endotracheal tubeA flexible plastic tube passed through the mouth or nose into the windpipe to keep the airway open and allow breathing support.
engorgementSwelling and painful fullness of the breasts as milk comes in or builds up.
enlarged liverA liver that is larger than normal; the medical word is hepatomegaly.
enlargementAn increase in the size of an organ or part beyond what is normal.
enteralBy way of the digestive tract, such as by mouth or through a feeding tube into the stomach or intestine.
enteral feeding tubeA tube placed into the stomach or small intestine to give liquid food, water and drugs to a person who cannot eat enough by mouth.
enteral nutritionLiquid nutrition given through a tube into the stomach or small intestine.
entericRelating to the intestines.
entrapmentBeing caught or trapped, such as a body part caught in a bed's side rails or a nerve squeezed by nearby tissue.
enuresisRepeated passing of urine without control, usually in bed at night, in a child old enough to be expected to stay dry.
enzymeA protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in the body without being used up.
eosinophilA type of white blood cell that fights parasites and takes part in allergic reactions.
epidermisThe thin outer layer of the skin.
epididymisA coiled tube on the back of each testis where sperm mature and are stored.
epiglottisA leaf-shaped flap of cartilage at the back of the throat that covers the windpipe during swallowing.
epiglottitisInflammation and swelling of the epiglottis, the flap of tissue that covers the windpipe during swallowing.
epilepsyA long-term brain condition in which a person has repeated seizures that are not caused by another illness.
episiotomyA cut made in the perineum, the tissue between the vagina and the anus, during birth to widen the opening.
epispadiasA birth defect in which the urethra opens on the top side of the penis instead of at the tip, or in a female, too far forward.
epistaxisBleeding from the nose; a nosebleed.
epithelializationThe growth of new skin cells across a wound, covering it as it heals.
epitheliumThe tissue that covers the body's surfaces and lines its organs, vessels and cavities.
Epstein pearlsSmall white or yellow bumps on a newborn's gums or the roof of the mouth.
Epstein-Barr virusA common herpes virus that causes infectious mononucleosis.