Menu Close

Glossary

Showing 601-610 out of 1175 Terms

We're sorry, it looks like there has been an error. Please try again soon.

  • Ileus

    (IH-lee-us)

    Severe constipation.

  • Iliac crest

    The top edge of your hip bone from which marrow is usually taken for diagnosis of blood cell diseases.

  • Imaging test

    (IH-muh-jing ...)

    A type of test that makes detailed pictures of areas inside the body. Imaging tests use different forms of energy, such as x-rays (high-energy radiation), ultrasound (high-energy sound waves), radio waves, and radioactive substances. They may be used to help diagnose disease, plan treatment, or find out how well treatment is working. Examples of imaging tests are computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear medicine tests. Also called imaging procedure.

  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors

    (ih-MYOON CHEK-poynt in-HIH-bih-ters)

    A type of drug that blocks proteins called checkpoints that are made by some types of immune system cells, such as T cells, and some cancer cells. These checkpoints help keep immune responses from being too strong and sometimes can keep T cells from killing cancer cells.

  • Immune reaction

    A reaction of normal tissues to substances recognized as "foreign" i.e. not self.

  • Immune system

    ih-MYOON SIS-tem

    A complex network of cells, tissues, organs, and the substances they make that helps the body fight infections and other diseases. The immune system includes white blood cells and organs and tissues of the lymph system, such as the thymus, spleen, tonsils, lymph nodes, lymph vessels, and bone marrow.

  • Immune system

    ih-MYOON SIS-tem

    The complex system by which your body resists infection by microbes such as bacteria or viruses and rejects transplanted tissues or organs. The immune system may also help the body fight some cancers.

  • Immunity

    (ih-MYOO-nih-tee)

    In medicine, the immune system’s way of protecting the body against an infectious disease.

  • Immunizations

    (IH-myoo-nih-ZAY-shun)

    A technique used to cause an immune response that results in resistance to a specific disease, especially an infectious disease.

  • Immunocompromised

    (IH-myoo-noh-KOM-proh-mized)

    Having a weakened immune system. Patients who are immunocompromised have a reduced ability to fight infections and other diseases. This may be caused by certain diseases or conditions, such as AIDS, cancer, diabetes, malnutrition, and certain genetic disorders. It may also be caused by certain medicines or treatments, such as anticancer drugs, radiation therapy, and stem cell or organ transplant. Also called immunosuppressed.