I put this list together as a student, so you will see some things in here that are quite simple. You will also see some words with *s/l* beside them. These are sound-alikes. I put them in the list, the way it sounded to me, then in the right column I entered the word the way it should be, or entered a possible alternative. There are prefixes, suffixes, drugs, abbreviations,etc. Some words have definitions, some do not. Please let me know if you run across any errors and I will correct them.
Word or Root | Definition |
kalium | potassium |
Kaposi's sarcome | malignant tumor of the walls of blood vessels appearing as painless dark bluish-purple plaques on the skin - often spreads to lymph nodes and internal organs |
kara | hard |
Karnofsky score | |
Kartagener's syndrome | Kartagener's Syndrome *KS* - a condition where the heart is located on the right side of the body in patients with Immotile Cilia Syndrome |
kava kava root | herbal medicine |
Kayexalate | drug |
kelation treatment *s/l* | chelation treatment |
kele | tumor |
keloid | an abnormal overgrowth of scar tissue that is thick and irregular |
kelp | herbal medicine |
kenesi- | movement |
kenification | see lichenification |
kenification *s/l* | lichenification |
Keofeed tube | |
Keppra | new drug for epilepsy |
kerat- | hard or cornea |
keratin | hard protein material found in the epidermis, hair, and nails |
keratitis | inflammation of the cornea |
keratosis | thicked areas of epidermis |
keratosis, actinic | localized thickening of the skin caused by excessive exposure to sunlight |
keratosis, seborrheic | benign wart-like tumors *seen especially on elderly skin* |
keratosis, solar | localized thickening of the skin caused by excessive exposure to sunlight |
kerenemia *s/l* | carinii *Pneumocystis carinii* |
kerley B lines *don't know if capitalized* | lines on x-ray, diagnostic of pulmonary venous congestion |
Kerlix | bandage |
kernicterus | brain deposition of bilirubin in neonate |
Kernig's sign | |
kesalbox plexus *s/l* | Kiesselbach plexus; a common place for nosebleed; area is rich in supply of blood vessels |
ket- | ketone bodies |
keto- | alter |
ketoacidosis | presence of an abnormal amount of ketone bodies *acetone, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetoacetic acid* in the blood and urine indicating an abnormal utilization of carbohydrates as seen in uncontrolled diabetes and starvation |
keton- | ketone bodies |
ketone bodies | acetone, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetoacetic acid are products of metabolism that appear in the urine as a result of an abnormal utilization of carbohydrates; seen in uncontrolled diabetes and starvation |
ketone compounds | acetone, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetoacetic acid are products of metabolism that appear in the urine as a result of an abnormal utilization of carbohydrates; seen in uncontrolled diabetes and starvation |
ketones test | chemical test used to detect the presence of ketone bodies in the urine; if positive, fats are being utilized by the body instead of carbohydrates, which occurs in starvation or an unstable diabetic state |
ketonuria | presence of ketone bodies in the urine |
ketosis | presence of an abnormal amount of ketone bodies *acetone, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetoacetic acid* in the blood and urine indicating an abnormal utilization of carbohydrates as seen in uncontrolled diabetes and starvation |
kg | kilogram *one thousand grams *2.2 pounds** |
kiaxolate *s/l* | Kayexalate *drug* |
kidney biopsy *Bx* | removal of kidney tissue for pathological examination |
kidney dialysis | methods of filtering impurities from the blood to replace the function of one or both kidneys due to renal failure |
kidney or renal transplantation | transer of a kidney from the body of one person to another |
kidney, ureter, bladder | *KUB* abdominal x-ray of the kidney, ureter, and bladder typically used as a scout film before doing IVP |
kidneys | two structures located on each side of the lumbar region that filter blood and secrete impurities, forming urine |
kile *s/l* | chyle |
kinesiology | study of movement |
King-Armstrong lesion | |
Kirschmer wire | referred to as K-wire; used for orthopedic fixation |
knee-chest position | |
knee-hightus *s/l* | knee HIDA *hepato iminodiacetic acid* |
kochia | allergen |
Kock ileal reservoir | pouch for the collection of urine following removal of the bladder |
koila | glue |
korporophy *s/l* | colporrhaphy |
KS | Kaposi sarcoma |
KS | Kartagener's Syndrome *KS* - a condition where the heart is located on the right side of the body in patients with Immotile Cilia Syndrome |
KUP | K+Uptake |
kyph- | humped |
kypho- | a convex curvature |
kyphoscoliosis | |
kyphosis | abnormal posterior curvature |