Medical terms - Letter L (page 10) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Low-grade lymphoma

A lymphoma that tends to grow and spread slowly, in contrast to an intermediate- or high-grade lymphoma which tends to grow and spread more quickly. Low-grade lymphomas include chronic lymphocytic lymphoma and…
Low-set ear

An ear positioned below its normal location. Classified as a minor anomaly. Technically, the ear is low-set when the helix (of the ear) meets the cranium at a level below that of a horizontal plane through both inner…
Lower GI series

Short for lower gastrointestinal series. A series of x-rays of the rectum, colon and lower section of the small intestine taken after the patient has a barium enema. Barium is a white, chalky substance that coats the…
Lower leg

The lower leg is the bottom segment of the leg: the part below the knee. The lower leg contains two long bones. The larger of these two bones is the tibia, the smaller one the fibula. The tibia is familiarly known as…
Lower motor neuron

A nerve cell that goes from the spinal cord to a muscle. The cell body of a lower motor neuron is in the spinal cord and its termination is in a skeletal muscle. The loss of lower motor neurons leads to weakness…
Lower segment Cesarian section (LSCS)

A Cesarian section in which the surgical incision (cut) is made in the lower segment of the uterus
LP (lumbar puncture)

Also known as a spinal tap, an LP is a procedure whereby spinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal for the purpose of diagnostic testing. It is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the…
LPA

Little People of America. The abbreviation also for the left pulmonary artery
LQTS

The long QT syndrome. See Long QT syndrome
LSCS

Lower segment Cesarian section. A Cesarian section in which the surgical incision (cut) is made in the lower segment of the uterus
LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide, an hallucinogen. LSD is an abbreviation of the German term Lysergsaure-Diathylamid for lysergic acid diethylamide. LSD is considered the typical hallucinogen and the characteristics of its…
Lubricant

An oily or slippery substance. A vaginal lubricant may be helpful for women who feel pain during intercourse because of vaginal dryness
Lues

1. Relating to syphilis, caused by it, or suffering from it. 2. A person with syphilis. From lues, an old name for syphilis.
Luetic

1. Relating to syphilis, caused by it, or suffering from it.2. A person with syphilis. From lues, an old name for syphilis
LUL

Acronym for the left upper lobe (of the lung). The left lung has but two lobes. The other lobe is naturally the left lower lobe (LLL). The right lung has three lobes: the right lower lobe (RLL), the right middle lobe…
Lumbar

Referring to the 5 lumbar vertebrae which are situated below the thoracic vertebrae and above the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column. The 5 lumbar vertebrae are represented by the symbols L1 through L5. There are…
Lumbar puncture

Lumbar puncture: A lumbar puncture or 'LP' is a procedure whereby spinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal for the purpose of diagnostic testing. It is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases…
Lumbar radiculopathy

Nerve irritation caused by damage to the discs between the vertebrae. Damage to the disc occurs because of degeneration ('wear and tear') of the outer ring of the disc, traumatic injury, or both. As a result, the…
Lumbar spinal stenosis

Lumbar spinal stenosis: A condition whereby either the spinal canal (central stenosis) or vertebral foramen (foraminal stenosis) becomes narrowed, leading to compression of the spinal nerves. Symptoms are pain in the…
Lumbar strain

A stretching injury to the ligaments, tendons, and/or muscles of the low back. The stretching incident results in microscopic tears of varying degrees in these tissues. Lumbar strain is one of the most common causes of…
Lumbar vertebrae

There are 5 lumbar vertebrae. The lumbar vertebrae are situated between the thoracic vertebrae and the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column. The 5 lumbar vertebrae are represented by the symbols L1 through L5
Lumen

A luminous term referring to the channel within a tube such as a blood vessel or to the cavity within a hollow organ such as the intestine. Lumen is a luminous term because it is Latin for light, including the light…
Lumpectomy

The surgical removal of a small tumor (a lump) which may or may not be benign (or malignant). Lumpectomy has come to refer specially to the removal of a lump from the breast. The word 'lumpectomy' is a hybrid term…
Lung cancer, familial

Lung cancer that recurs in families. Lung cancer can occur sporadically in people with no known family history of lung cancer or it can recur in two or more members of the same family and constitute familial lung…
Lung cancer, non-small cell

Lung cancer, non-small cell: Cancer of the lung which is not of the small cell carcinoma (oat cell carcinoma) type. The term 'non-small cell lung cancer' is generally applied to the various types of bronchogenic…
Lung cancer, oat cell

See: Oat cell cancer
Lung cancer, small cell

A type of lung cancer in which the cells are small and round. Also called oat cell lung cancer
Lung reduction surgery

A surgical treatment for patients with advanced emphysema in which 20-35% of the emphysematous lung is removed to allow the remaining tissue to expand more fully and restore some of the patient's breathing capacity…
Lung transplant

The first lung transplant was done by the American surgeon James Hardy (1918-) in 1964.
Lung volume reduction surgery

See: Lung reduction surgery
Lung, and Blood Institute, National Heart,

BI): One of the National Institutes of Health in the U.S., the NHLBI's mission is to 'provide leadership for a national research program in diseases of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and blood and in transfusion…
Lung, collapsed

Failure of full expansion of a once fully expanded lung. Medically called atelectasis. The word comes from the Greek 'a-' (without) 'telos' (complete) + 'rectasis' (expansion) = without complete expansion
Lungs

The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon dioxide from and bring oxygen to the blood. There is a right and left lung.
Lunula

1. The crescent-shaped area at the base of a fingernail or toenail. 2. Any small crescent- or moon-shaped area or structure.Lunula is the diminuitive of the Latin luna, the moon. Also called the lunule
Lunule

1. The crescent-shaped area at the base of a fingernail or toenail. 2. Any small crescent- or moon-shaped area or structure.Borrowed from the French lunule, from the Latin lunula, the diminuitive of luna, the moon. Also…
Lupus

Lupus: A chronic inflammatory condition caused by an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease occurs when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. Patients with lupus have unusual antibodies in their…
Lupus in pregnancy

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) during pregnancy, a high-risk situation. The high risks are to both the mother and child. Women with SLE can have flares of SLE during pregnancy. There is also a markedly increased…
LUQ

Abbreviation for the left upper quadrant (quarter). The LUQ of the abdomen contains the spleen. (By contrast, RUQ stands for the right upper quadrant, LLQ stands for the left lower quadrant, and RLQ stands for the right…
Luschka, foramina of

Two openings from the fourth ventricle, one in a system of four communicating cavities called ventricles within the brain that are continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord. The four ventricles consist of the…
Luteinizing hormone

A hormone released by the pituitary gland in response to luteinizing hormone- releasing hormone. Abbreviated LH, it controls the length and sequence of the female menstrual cycle, including ovulation, preparation the…
Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone

A hormone that controls sex hormones in men and women. Also called LHRH.
Luxation

Complete dislocation of a joint. A partial dislocation is a subluxation
LVAD

Left ventricular assist device. See: Ventricular assist device
LVF

1. Left ventricular failure, failure of the left side of the heart.2. Left ventricular function, the function of the left ventricle.In both of these senses, LVF is in contrast to RVF (right ventricular failure or…
LVRS

Lung volume reduction surgery. See: Lung reduction surgery
Lycanthropy

The delusion that one has become a wolf or the werewolf transformation. Werewolf myths were associated with the phases of the moon. The werewolf was thought to take over when the moon was full. The word 'lycanthropy' is…
Lycopene

Lyme disease is a bacterial illness caused by a bacterium called a "spirochete." Lyme disease is spread by ticks when they bite the skin. Lyme disease can cause abnormalities in the skin, joints, heart and nervous…
Lyme disease

Lyme disease: Lyme disease is a bacterial illness caused by a bacterium called a 'spirochete.' Lyme disease is spread by ticks when they bite the skin. Lyme disease can cause abnormalities in the skin, joints, heart and…
Lymph

An almost colorless fluid that travels through vessels called lymphatics in the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection and disease
Lymph gland

See Lymph node