E

eccrine sweat gland (ĔK-rĭn swet gland): Type of gland that produces a hypotonic sweat for thermoregulation.

echocardiogram (ĕk-ō-KĂR-dē-ō-grăm): A record (using) sound of the heart.

echocardiography (ek-ō-kard-ē-OG-ră-fē): Process of using sound to record the heart.

eclampsia (e-KLAMP-sē-ă): A very serious condition in pregnancy with hypertension; patients are at high risk of coma, convulsions, and even death.

ectopic pregnancy (ek-TOP-ik PREG-năn-sē): The embryo implants any other place but the inner endo-uterine lining.

eczema (eg-ZĒ-mă): Noninfectious, inflammatory disease presents as redness, blisters, scabs, and itching.

edema (ĕ-DĒ-mă): Puffy swollen tissue due to accumulation of fluid.

efferent lymphatic vessels (EF-ĕ-rĕnt lim-FAT-ik VES-ĕls): Lead out of a lymph node.

efferent nerves (EF-ĕ-rĕnt nĕrvs): Nerve tissue that carries impulses away from the CNS towards the peripheral that result in motor response (movement).

ejaculation (i-jak-yŭ-LĀ-shŏn): The action of ejecting semen from the body.

ejaculatory duct (ē-JĂK-ū-lă-tōr-ē dŭkt): Duct that connects the ampulla of the ductus deferens with the duct of the seminal vesicle at the prostatic urethra.

electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) (ē-lĕk-trō-KĂR-dē-ō-grăm): A recording of the electrical impulses in the heart.

electrocardiograph (ē-lĕk-trō-KĂR-dē-ō-grăf): Instrument used to record electrical activity within the heart.

electrocardiography (ē-lĕk-trō-KĂR-dē-ŎG-ră-fē): Process of recording the electrical (activity) of the heart.

electrocochleography (ē-lek-trō-kok-lē-OG-ră-fē): Process of recording the electrical activity in the cochlea.

electroencephalogram (ĕ-lek-trō-ĕn-SEF-ă-lŏ-gram): The record of electrical activity of the brain.

electroencephalograph (ē-lĕk-trō-ĕn-SĔF-ă-lō-grăf): Instrument used to record electrical activity of the brain.

electroencephalography (ĕ-lek-trō-ĕn-sef-ă-LOG-ră-fē): Process of recording the electrical activity of the brain.

electromyography (ē-lĕk-trō-mī-ŎG-ră-fē): Measures muscle response or electrical activity in response to a nerve’s stimulation of the muscle.

elements (EL-ĕ-mĕnts): Unique pure substances.

embolus (EM-bŏ-lŭs): Obstruction in a blood vessel such as a blood clot, fatty mass, air bubble, or other foreign matter that interrupts the flow of blood to an organ or some part of the body.

embryogenic (ĕm-brē-ō-JĔN-ĭk): Producing an embryo.

embryoid (EM-brē-ōyd): Resembling an embryo.

emesis (ĔM-ĕ-sĭs): Vomiting.

emulsification (ē-mŭl-sĭ-fĭ-KĀ-shŭn): The process of breaking down the fat into smaller blood cells which makes it easy for enzymes to function and digest food.

encephalitis (en-sef-ă-LĪT-ĭs): Inflammation of the brain.

encephalomalacia (en-sef-ă-lō-mă-LĀ-sh(ē-)ă): Softening of the brain.

encephalomyeloradiculitis (ĕn-sĕf-ă-lō-mī-ĕ-lō-ră-dĭk-ū-LĪ-tĭs): Inflammation of brain, spinal cord and nerve roots.

encephalosclerosis (ĕn-SĔF-ă-lō-sklă-RŌ-sĭs): Hardening of the brain.

endarterectomy (ĕnd-ăr-tĕr-ĔK-tō-mē): Excision within the artery.

endocarditis (en-dō-kar-DĪT-is): Inflammation of the inner (lining) of the heart.

endocervical (en-dō-SĔR-vi-kăl): Pertaining to within the cervix.

endocrine gland (En-dō-krīn gland): Tissue or organ that secretes hormones into the blood and lymph without ducts such that they may be transported to organs distant from the site of secretion.

endocrine system (En-dō-krīn SIS-tĕm): Cells, tissues, and organs that secrete hormones as a primary or secondary function and play an integral role in normal bodily processes.

endocrinologist (ĕn-dō-krĭ-NŎL-ŏ-jĭst): Specialist who studies and treats diseases of the endocrine system.

endocrinology (ĕn-dō-krĭn-ŎL-ō-jē): The study of the endocrine glands and hormones.

endocrinopathy (ĕn-dō-krĭn-ŎP-ă-thē): Disease of the endocrine system.

endometrial cancer (en-dō-MĒ-trē-ăl KAN-sĕr): Malignant tumor of the endometrium (also called uterine cancer).

endometriosis (en-dō-mē-trē-Ō-sĭs): Abnormal condition of the endometrium.

endometritis (e-dō-mĕ-TRĪT-is): Inflammation of the endometrium.

endometrium (en-dŏ-MĒ-trē-ŭm): The innermost layer containing a connective tissue lining covered by epithelial tissue that lines the lumen. Provides the site of implantation for a fertilized egg. Sheds during menstruation if no egg is fertilized.

endophthalmitis (ĕn-dŏf-thăl-MĪ-tĭs): Inflammation within the eye.

endoscope (EN-dŏ-skōp): Instrument used to view within (hollow organs).

endoscopic (en-dŏ-SKOPik): Pertaining to view within.

endoscopy (en-DOS-kŏ-pē): Visual examination within.

endothelium (en-dŏ-THĒ-lē-ŭm): The lining of the lumen of a blood vessel.

endotracheal (ĕn-dō-TRĀ-kē-ăl): Pertaining to within the trachea.

enteric nervous system (ENS) (en-TER-ik NĔR-vŭs SIS-tĕm): Neural tissue associated with the digestive system that is responsible for nervous control through autonomic connections.

enteropathy (ent-ĕ-ROP-ă-thē): Disease of the intestines.

enterorrhaphy (ĕn-tĕr-OR-ă-fē): Suturing of the intestine.

enucleation (ē-nū-klē-Ā-shŭn): Excision of a whole organ or mass without cutting into it.

enuresis (en-ū-RĒ-sĭs): Involuntary urination.

ependymal cell (ep-EN-dĭ-măl sel): Glial cell type in the CNS responsible for producing cerebrospinal fluid.

epidermal (ĕp-ĭ-DĔR-mal): Pertaining to upon/on the skin.

epidermis (ep-i-DĔR-mĭs): Outer layer of skin, made of closely packed epithelial cells.

epididymectomy (ĕp-ĭ-dĭd-ĭ-MĔK-tō-mē): Excision of the epididymis.

epididymis (ep-i-DID-ĭ-mĭs): (plural = epididymides) Coiled tubular structure in which sperm start to mature and are stored until ejaculation.

epididymitis (ep-ĭ-did-ĭ-MĪT-ĭs): Inflammation/swelling of the epididymis.

epiglottis (EP-i-GLOT-ĭs): The epiglottis, attached to the thyroid cartilage, is a very flexible piece of elastic cartilage that covers the opening of the trachea.

epinephrine (ep-ĭ-NEF-rin): Also known as adrenaline, is a hormone and neurotransmitter and produced by the adrenal glands.

epiphyses (ĕ-PĬF-ĭ-sĭs): The ends of long bones, singular is epiphysis.

episioperineoplasty (i-piz-ē-ō-per-ĭ-NĒ-ō-plas-tē): Surgical repair of the vulva and the perineum.

episiorrhaphy (epē-sē-OR-ă-fē): Suturing of the vulva.

episiotomy (i-piz-ē-OT-ŏ-mē): A procedure where an incision is made to widen the vaginal opening to prevent ripping or tearing of the perineum during delivery.

epistaxis (ĕp-ĭ-STĂK-sĭs): Nose bleed (rhinorrhagia).

epithalamus (ep-i-THAL-ă-mŭs): Region of the diencephalon containing the pineal gland.

epithelial membrane (ep-i-THĒ-lē-ăl MEM-brān): Membrane composed of epithelium attached to a layer of connective tissue.

eponym (ĔP-ō-nĭm): Terms that are named after a place or person.

erectile dysfunction (ĕ-RĔK-tīl dis-FŬNGK-shŏn): The inability of a male to attain or maintain an erection sufficient to perform sexual intercourse.

erythroblastosis fetalis (ĕ-rĭth-rō-blăs-TŌ-sĭs fĕ-TAL-ĭs): Disease of rh factor-positive newborns in rh-negative mothers with multiple rh-positive children; resulting from the action of maternal antibodies against fetal blood.

erythrocytes (ĕ-RITH-rŏ-sīts): Red blood cells.

erythrocytopenia (ĕ-rĭth-rō-sī-tō-PĒ-nē-ă): Abnormal reduction of red (blood) cells.

erythroderma (ĕ-rith-rŏ-DĔR-mă): Red skin.

erythropoietin (ĕ-rĭth-rō-POY-ĕ-tĭn): Hormone produced by the kidneys that plays an important role in the homeostasis of red blood cells levels in the body.

esophageal (ē-sof-ă-JĒ-ăl): Pertaining to the esophagus.

esophagitis (ē-sof-ă-JĪT-ĭs): Inflammation of the esophagus.

esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) (ē-sof-ă-gō-gas-trō-doo-ŏ-dē-NOS-kŏ-pē): Process of viewing the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.

esophagogastroplasty (ĕ-SŎF-ă-gō-GĂS-trō-plăs-tē): Surgical repair of the esophagus and stomach.

esophagogram (ĕ-SOF-ă-gō-gram): Radiographic image of the esophagus.

esophagoscopy (ĕ-sof-ă-GOS-kŏ-pē): Process of viewing the esophagus.

euglycemia (ū-glī-SĒ-mē-ă): Normal (level) of blood sugar in the blood.

eupnea (ūp-NĒ-ă): Normal breathing.

euthyroid (ū-THĪ-royd): Resembling a normal thyroid gland.

excise, excision (ĕk-SĪZ, ek-SIZH-ŏn): Remove by cutting out.

excretion (ĕks-KRĒ-shŭn): Waste is eliminated from an organism. In vertebrates this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys and skin.

exocrine (ĔKS-ō-krĭn): To secrete externally, directly or through a duct.

exocrine system (ĔKS-ō-krĭn SIS-tĕm): Cells, tissues, and organs that secrete substances directly to target tissues via glandular ducts.

exocytosis (ĕks-ō-sī-TŌ-sĭs): Active transport of molecules out of the cell.

expiration (ĕks-pĭ-RĀ-shŭn): Exhalation or the process of causing air to leave the lungs.

external nose (IK-stərnl nōz): The external nose consists of the surface and skeletal structures that result in the outward appearance of the nose and contribute to its numerous functions.

extramedullary hemopoiesis (eks-tră-MED-ŭl-er-rē hē-mō-poy-Ē-sĭs): Hemopoiesis outside the medullary cavity of adult bones.