Glossary of Medical Terms

A laboratory test to find and measure the amount of a specific substance.

A process that is required by law in which children or adolescents are given easy-to-understand information about a clinical trial to help them decide if they want to take part in the trial. The patient is given a chance to ask questions about what will happen during the trial, why it’s being done, and what they will be asked to do. Formal consent to enter the trial comes from the parent or guardian.

In healthcare, a process used to learn about a patient’s condition. This may include a complete medical history, medical tests, a physical exam, a test of learning skills, tests to find out if the patient is able to carry out the tasks of daily living, a mental health evaluation, and a review of social support and community resources available to the patient.

Something that has financial value and that a person owns, benefits from, or has use of. Money, jewelry, artwork, investments, real estate, and cars are examples of assets.

A tool that helps a person with a disability to do a certain task. Examples are a cane, wheelchair, scooter, walker, hearing aid, or special bed.

Any device or technology that helps a disabled person. Examples are special grips for holding utensils, computer screen monitors to help a person with low vision read more easily, computers controlled by talking, telephones that make the sound louder, and lifters to help a person rise out of a chair.

Weakness; lack of energy and strength.

A chronic disease in which the bronchial airways in the lungs become narrowed and swollen, making it difficult to breathe. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, and rapid breathing. An asthma attack may be brought on by pet hair, dust, smoke, pollen, mold, exercise, cold air, or stress.

A large, star-shaped cell that holds nerve cells in place and helps them develop and work the way they should. An astrocyte is a type of glial cell.

A tumor that begins in the brain or spinal cord in small, star-shaped cells called astrocytes.