Medical terms - Letter H (page 5) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Hematology

The diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the blood and bone marrow as well as of the immunologic, hemostatic (blood clotting) and vascular systems. Because of the nature of blood, the science of…
Hematology-oncology

The diagnosis, treatment and prevention of blood diseases (hematology) and cancer (oncology) and research into them. Hematology-oncology includes such diseases as iron deficiency anemia, hemophilia, sickle cell disease…
Hematoma

An abnormal localized collection of blood in which the blood is usually clotted or partially clotted and is usually situated within an organ or a soft tissue space, such as within a muscle. A hematoma is caused by a…
Hematoma, epidural

See: Epidural hematoma
Hematoma, extradural

See: Epidural hematoma
Hematoma, intracerebral

See: Intracerebral hematoma
Hematoma, intracranial

A hematoma (a collection of blood) within the cranium (skull). The bleed may or may not be within the brain itself. See Epidural hematoma; Subdural hematoma; Intracranial hematoma.
Hematoma, nasal septum

See: Nasal septum hematoma
Hematoma, subcutaneous

A bruise
Hematoma, subdural

See: Subdural hematoma
Hematophobia

An abnormal and persistent fear of blood is called hematophobia. Sufferers of this very common phobia dread the sight of their own blood, the sight of the blood of another person or an animal, and sometimes printed or…
Hematopoiesis

The production of all types of blood cells generated by a remarkable self-regulated system that is responsive to the demands put upon it. The levels of the different types of the white blood cells in the granulocyte…
Hematopoietic

Pertaining to hematopoiesis
Hematuria

Blood in the urine. Hematuria may or may not be accompanied by pain, but it is always abnormal and should be further investigated. Painful hematuria can be caused by a number of disorders, including infections and…
Hematuria, gross

Blood in the urine that can be seen with the naked eye. Hematuria may or may not be accompanied by pain, but it is always abnormal and should be further investigated. See also hematuria.
Hematuria, microscopic

Blood in the urine that is visible only under a microscope. There is so little blood that it cannot be seen without magnification. Microhematuria is in contrast to gross hematuria, in which the blood is so plentiful…
Hemi-

Prefix meaning one half, as in hemiparesis, hemiplegia, and hemithorax. From the Greek hemisus meaning half and equivalent to the Latin semi-. As a general rule, not always followed, hemi- goes with words of Greek…
Hemidesmosome

A specialised structure that attaches an epithelial cell to the basement membrane beneath it
Hemidiaphragm

Half of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen and that serves as the main muscle of respiration. Both hemidiaphragms are visible on X-ray studies from the front or back. The right…
Hemidiaphragm, elevated

See: Elevated hemidiaphragm
Hemidiaphragm, raised

See: Elevated hemidiaphragm
Hemifacial microsomia

See: Goldenhar syndrome
Hemihyperhidrosis

Hyperhidrosis (excess sweating) confined to one side of the body. Hemihyperhidrosis may occur after a stroke
Hemihypertrophy

Asymmetric overgrowth (hypertrophy) of the skull, face, trunk, limbs, and/or digits, with or without visceral involvement. Hemihypertrophy may be an isolated finding in an otherwise normal individual, or it may appear…
Hemiparesis

Weakness on one side of the body.
Hemiplegia

Paralysis of one side of the body. From hemi- (half) + plege (a blow, stroke)
Hemiplegia, alternating

See: Alternating hemiplegia of childhood
Hemiplegic

Pertaining to hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body.
Hemithorax

Half of the thorax or, more simply, one side of the chest. The plural is hemithoraxes or hemithoraces. A chest with no separation of the hemithoraces is called a buffalo chest
Hemizygous

Having only a single copy of a gene instead of the customary two copies. All of the gene on the single X chromosome in the male are in the hemizygous state
Hemochromatosis

Hemochromatosis (iron overload) is an inherited disorder in how the body absorbs and stores iron. The excess iron gives the skin a bronze color and damages the liver and other organs. Diabetes is also a part of the…
Hemodialysis

Hemodialysis: A medical procedure that uses a special machine (a dialysis machine) to filter waste products from the blood and to restore normal constituents to it. This shuffling of multiple substances is accomplished…
Hemodialysis catheter

See: Catheter, hemodialysis
Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin: The oxygen-carrying pigment and predominant protein in the red blood cells. Hemoglobin forms an unstable, reversible bond with oxygen. In its oxygenated state it is called oxyhemoglobin and is bright red. In…
Hemoglobin A

Normal adult hemoglobin, the main type of hemoglobin after infancy. The A stands for Adult
Hemoglobin A1C

The main fraction of glycosylated hemoglobin (glycohemoglobin) which is hemoglobin to which glucose is bound. Hemoglobin A1C is tested to monitor the long-term control of diabetes mellitus. The level of hemoglobin A1C…
Hemoglobin E

Normal embryonic hemoglobin, the main type of hemoglobin found in the human embryo. The E stands for embryonic and also for epsilon, the chain unique to embryonic hemoglobin (which was originally known as Gower-2)
Hemoglobin F

Normal fetal hemoglobin, the predominant type of hemoglobin in the fetus and newborn. The F stands for Fetal.
Hemoglobin normal values

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment in the blood, the predominant protein in the red blood cells. In the routine laboratory test for hemoglobin (Hb), it is usually measured as total hemoglobin and the result is…
Hemoglobin S

The most common type of abnormal hemoglobin and the basis of sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia. Hemoglobin S differs from normal adult hemoglobin (called hemoglobin A) only by a single amino acid substitution (a…
Hemoglobin, carbon monoxide

See: Carboxyhemoglobin
Hemoglobin, glycosylated

Hemoglobin to which glucose is bound. Glycosylated hemoglobin is tested to monitor the long-term control of diabetes mellitus. The level of glycosylated hemoglobin is increased in the red blood cells of persons with…
Hemoglobinuria

The presence of free hemoglobin in the urine, an abnormal finding, that may make the urine look dark. Hemoglobin is the protein in the red blood cells which carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body and…
Hemolysis

The destruction of red blood cells which leads to the release of hemoglobin from within the red blood cells into the blood plasma. Etymology: The word 'hemolysis' is made up of 'hemo-', blood + 'lysis', the…
Hemolytic

Referring to hemolysis, the destruction of red blood cells which leads to the release of hemoglobin from within the red blood cells into the blood plasma. Hemolytic anemia, for example, is anemia ('low blood') due to…
Hemolytic anemia

Anemia due to the destruction (rather than underproduction) of red blood cells.
Hemolytic disease of the newborn

Abnormal breakup of red blood cells in the fetus or newborn. This is usually due to antibodies made by the mother directed against the baby's red cells. It is typically caused by Rh incompatibility, that is differences…
Hemolytic jaundice, congenital

Jaundice, congenital: Known also as hereditary spherocytosis (HS), this is a genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane clinically characterized by anemia, jaundice (yellowing) and splenomegaly (enlargement of the…
Hemolytic uremic syndrome

Hemolytic uremic syndrome: A condition characterized by the breakup of red blood cells (hemolysis) and kidney failure. There is clumping of platelets (the blood cells responsible for clotting) within the kidney's small…
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

A rare, cancer-like disorder in which both histiocytes and lymphocytes start to proliferate and attack body tissues or organs. It can be an inherited condition, or it can occur as a result of immunosuppression (as in…