Filled with medical definitions, this glossary was created to help you understand common terms related to fibroids. If you have any further questions, please ask your doctor or healthcare provider.
ANEMIA
a drop to below normal in the concentration of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood, for example due to blood loss.
BENIGN
not
malignant; not cancerous; not recurrent; favorable for recovery.
BONE MINERAL DENSITY
a marker for the strength of bones.
CERVIX
the narrow lower end or neck of the
uterus.
ESTROGEN
a female sex hormone; stimulates female secondary sex characteristics. Different types of estrogen include estradiol and estrone.
FALLOPIAN TUBES
the tubes that eggs travel through when they move from the ovary to the
uterus.
FIBROID
a common name for
leiomyoma.
GnRH
gonadotropin-releasing hormone; a naturally occurring hormone that stimulates the release of other hormones that affect the ovaries and menstrual cycle.
GnRH AGONIST (GnRHa)
a synthetic derivative of
GnRH that, with continuous use, will temporarily stop the production of female sex hormones by the ovaries.
GONADOTROPIN
a
hormone that stimulates the gonads (
ovaries or testis); a gonadotropic hormone.
HEMATOCRIT
a measure of the proportion of red blood cells in a blood sample.
HEMOGLOBIN
protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen; gives blood its red color.
HORMONE
a substance secreted by a cell into the bloodstream for action at a different site.
HOT FLASHES
a sudden brief flushing and sensation of heat, usually associated with menopause.
HYSTERECTOMY
surgical removal of the
uterus.
HYSTEROSALPINGOGRAPHY
a type of X-ray test, also called HSG, performed after a special dye is injected into the
uterus and
fallopian tubes. It may detect abnormal changes in the size and shape of the uterus and fallopian tubes.
HYSTEROSCOPE
a slender instrument with a tiny camera at the end, used for visual examination of the canal of the
cervix and inside the
uterus.
HYSTEROSCOPY
inspection of the inside of the
uterus with a
hysteroscope.
INFERTILITY
diminished or absent ability to have children.
LAPAROSCOPE
a long slender optical instrument used to perform a visual examination of the abdomen.
LAPAROSCOPY
visual examination of the abdomen by means of a
laparoscope inserted through a small cut near the navel.
LEIOMYOMA
a benign growth, or tumor, derived from smooth muscle, usually of the uterus.
LEIOMYOMATA UTERI
see
leiomyoma.
MALIGNANCY
a cancerous tumor.
MALIGNANT
regarding a tumor: cancerous.
MYOLYSIS
a laparoscopic procedure that uses special surgical instruments inserted into a fibroid to produce extreme temperatures (hot or cold), resulting in destruction of fibroid tissue.
MYOMAS
see
leiomyoma.
MYOMECTOMY
a type of conservative surgery in which the
fibroids are removed, but the
uterus stays intact.
OSTEOPOROSIS
a decrease in bone density that produces bone fragility.
OVARIES
female organs that contain eggs and produce
hormones.
SIDE EFFECT
adverse effect produced by a drug.
SONOGRAPHY
a diagnostic procedure that uses sound waves to record pictures of internal organs (ultrasound).
SUBTOTAL HYSTERECTOMY
a
hysterectomy in which the
uterus, but not the
cervix, is removed.
TOTAL HYSTERECTOMY
a
hysterectomy in which the entire
uterus and
cervix are removed.
UAE
uterine artery embolization; see
uterine fibroid embolization.
UFE
see
uterine fibroid embolization.
ULTRASOUND
a diagnostic procedure that uses sound waves to record pictures of internal organs.
UTERINE ARTERY EMBOLIZATION
see
uterine fibroid embolization.
UTERINE FIBROID EMBOLIZATION
a procedure in which the blood supply in the arteries feeding the fibroids is blocked off. Within minutes after the procedure, the fibroids may begin to "die."
UTERINE FIBROID
see
leiomyoma.
UTERUS
the hollow muscular organ in female mammals where the fertilized egg normally becomes embedded, and the developing embryo and fetus are nourished.
VAGINA
(birth canal) area or passage from the vulva to the
cervix.
VAGINAL DRYNESS
a condition caused by a reduction in the normal secretions in the vagina, usually as a result of decreased estrogen levels in the body.
VAGINAL HYSTERECTOMY
a procedure in which a
hysterectomy is performed through the vagina.
