Medical terms - Letter L (page 11) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Lymph node

The first lymph node ("gland") to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. Which lymph node is the sentinel node for a given tumor is determined by injecting around the tumor a tracer substance that will travel through…
Lymph node, sentinel

The first lymph node ('gland') to receive lymphatic drainage from a tumor. Which lymph node is the sentinel node for a given tumor is determined by injecting around the tumor a tracer substance that will travel through…
Lymphadenitis, regional

Cat scratch disease, a mild flu-like infection, with swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenitis) and mild fever of short duration, due to cat scratches, especially from kittens. There is usually a little bump (a papule) which…
Lymphadenopathy

Abnormally enlarged lymph nodes. Commonly called 'swollen glands.' The term 'lymphadenopathy' is not as tough as it looks. It is made up of three words: lymph + adeno- (meaning gland) + -pathy (meaning disease) = lymph…
Lymphadenopathy virus

Another name for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS. HIV has also been called the human lymphotropic virus type III and the lymphadenopathy-associated virus and the lymphadenopathy virus. No…
Lymphadenopathy-associated virus

Another name for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS. Please see: Lymphadenopathy virus
Lymphangiogram

X-rays of the lymphatic system. A dye is injected to outline the lymphatic vessels and organs.
Lymphangioleiomyomatosis

A structure consisting of a collection of blood vessels and lymph vessels that are overgrown and clumped together. Depending on their nature, these structures may grow slowly or quickly. They can cause problems because…
Lymphangioma

A structure consisting of a collection of blood vessels and lymph vessels that are overgrown and clumped together. Depending on their nature, these structures may grow slowly or quickly. They can cause problems because…
Lymphangitis

The red streaking and gland (lymph node) swelling in the area of an injury especially on the extremities. It is usually caused by a bacterial infection with Streptococcus. The bacteria enter the body through a cut…
Lymphatic

Calf: The belly or fleshy hind part of the leg below the knee. The calf is made up mainly of the gastrocnemius muscle (which comes from the Greek "gastroknemia" meaning calf of the leg, from "gaster" (gastr-), belly, +…
Lymphatic edema

See: Lymphedema>
Lymphatic filariasis

A parasitic disease caused by the African eye worm, a microscopic thread-like worm. The adult worms can only live in the human lymph system. Lymphatic filariasis affects over 120 million people in the tropics and…
Lymphatic system

The tissues and organs, including the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, and lymph nodes, that produce and store cells that fight infection and disease. The channels that carry lymph are also part of this system.
Lymphatic tissue

A part of the body's immune system that helps protect it from bacteria and other foreign entities. Lymphatic tissue is rich in lymphocytes (and accessory cells such as macrophages and reticular cells). The lymphatic…
Lymphatics

Small thin channels similar to blood vessels that do not carry blood, but collect and carry tissue fluid (called lymph) from the body to ultimately drain back into the blood stream
Lymphedema

A common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling (edema) in them. Lymphedema (edema due to lymphatic fluid) may occur in the arms or legs. This often…
Lymphedema, congenital

See: Congenital lymphedema
Lymphoblastic leukemia, acute (ALL)

A form of leukemia that has a sudden onset and is characterized by the presence in the blood and bone marrow of large numbers of unusually immature white blood cells destined to become lymphocytes. These cells, called…
Lymphocyte

A small white blood cell (leukocyte) that plays a large role in defending the body against disease. Lymphocytes are responsible for immune responses. There are two main types of…
Lymphocytic

Referring to lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
Lymphocytic colitis

Lymphocytic colitis> A type of inflammatory disease of the large intestine (colon). The name derives from the microscopic observations of biopsies of the colon. What is seen in the microscope view of colon tissue is an…
Lymphocytic leukemia, acute (ALL)

Leukemia, acute (ALL): A rapidly progressing form of leukemia in which there are too many very young (immature) white blood cells called lymphoblasts in the bloodstream and bone marrow. ALL is spoken not as the word…
Lymphocytosis

Too many lymphocytes, a finding that may be a marker for infection or disease.
Lymphogranuloma venereum

Abbreviated LGV. An uncommon genital or anorectal (affecting the anus and/or rectum) infection that is caused by a specific type of Chlamydia trachomatis. Patients typically have tender glands (lymph nodes) in the groin…
Lymphoid

Referring to lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell. Also refers to tissue in which lymphocytes develop.
Lymphoid tissue

A part of the body's immune system that helps protect it from bacteria and other foreign entities. Lymphoid tissue is rich in lymphocytes (and accessory cells such as macrophages and reticular cells). The lymphoid…
Lymphoma

Tumor of the lymphoid tissue. Diagnosis is by biopsy. Treatment may be chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, or medication, depending on the age of the patient and type of tumor
Lymphoma, aggressive

See: Aggressive lymphoma
Lymphoma, AIDS-related

Lymphoid tumors that appear in people with AIDS, presumably due to immune- system impairment. Treatment is like that of other lymphomas , but must take impaired natural immunity into account
Lymphoma, Burkitt

See: Burkitt lymphoma
Lymphoma, high-grade

High-grade lymphoma
Lymphoma, indolent

See: Indolent lymphoma
Lymphoma, intermediate-grade

See: Low-grade lymphoma.
Lymphoma, low-grade

See: Low-grade lymphoma
Lymphoma, lymphoblastic

A rapidly moving, aggressive form of lymphoma most often seen in children or young adults. Treatment may be chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, medication, and/or bone-marrow transplant. Precautionary treatment of the…
Lymphoma, MALT

See: MALT lymphoma
Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin

Malignant tumors that arise in the lymphatic system. There are several subtypes of cancer classified as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. All originate in and spread via the lymphatic system. Symptoms depend on the location of the…
Lymphoproliferative

Referring to the proliferation of the bone marrow cells that give rise to lymphoid cells (such as lymphocytes and plasma cells) and reticuloendothelial cells (such as macrophages, which engulf foreign particles). The…
Lymphoproliferative disorders

Malignant diseases of the lymphoid cells and cells from the reticuloendothelial system (which take up and sequester inert particles). The lymphoproliferative disorders are in contrast to the myeloproliferative disorders…
Lymphoreticulosis, benign

Cat scratch disease, a mild flu-like infection, with swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenitis) and mild fever of short duration, due to cat scratches, especially from kittens. There is usually a little bump (a papule) which…
Lynch syndrome

See: Hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer
Lyon hypothesis

See Lyonization
Lyonization

The inactivation of an X chromosome. One of the two X chromosomes in every cell in a female is randomly inactivated early in embryonic development. Named after geneticist Mary Lyon.
Lyophilization

A process by which material is rapidly frozen and dehydrated under high vacuum
Lyophilize

To freeze-dry. The material is rapidly frozen and dehydrated under high vacuum. The process is termed lyophilization
Lys

Lysine. See also: Amino acid symbols
Lysenkoism

A theory put forth by a Russian plant-breeder named Trofim Denisovich Lysenko [1898-1976] during the Lenin/Stalin years that served to stifle the progress of genetics in the Soviet Union. Lysenko rejected Mendelian…
Lysergic acid diethylamide

Better known as LSD. (LSD is the abbreviation for the German name for the drug: Lysergsaure-Diathylamid.) See: LSD
Lysine

An amino acid, one of the 20 building blocks of protein. A dietary essential amino acid, lysine is present in many proteins and is necessary for optimal growth in childhood. Symbol: Lys