Glossary

Adenocarcinoma

A cancerous tumour developing from the glandular component of any organ (particularly the prostate or kidney)

Analgesic

A drug used to relieve pain

Angiomylipoma

A benign tumour of the kidney which arises from blood vessels and fat; it may, if it grows large enough, rupture and cause bleeding into or around the kidney

Anti-Inflammatory

A drug which reduces inflammation and helps to relieve pain; often used to treat prostatitis & the pain of kidney stones

Azoospermia

The complete absence of sperms in ejaculated semen; one cause of male-factor infertility. Usually due to failure of production of sperms by the testis or to obstruction of the tubing along which sperms normally pass

Balanitis

Inflammation of the foreskin or the tip of the penis

Bladder

The midline, lower abdominal organ which stores urine prior to its expulsion via the urethra

BPH

Benign prostatic hyperplasia; benign enlargement of the prostate gland, invariably seen with increasing age

Brachytherapy

A type of radiotherapy where radioactive seeds are implanted directly into an organ, usually the prostate gland

BXO

Balanitis xerotica obliterans; a scarring disease of the foreskin, of unknown cause, which results in a tight foreskin

Calcium Oxalate

The commonest constituent of kidney stones and the type of stone which is most prone to recur

Calculus

A stone, usually in the kidney or ureter, but may also occur on the prostate or bladder

Calyx

The outermost part of the collecting systemt of the kidney where urine is first released for excretion

Catheter

A rubberised or silicone tube passed into a hollow organ (usually the bladder) to drain its contents

Chemotherapy

The use of drugs to treat cancer

Chordee

A deformity of the penis which results in a bending on erection

Cystitis

Inflammation of the internal lining of the bladder

Circumcision

Surgical removal of the foreskin, usually performed for phimosis

CT

Computerised tomography; a form of X-ray where slices are taken through the body to produce images at different levels

Cystectomy

Surgical removal of the bladdder, usually for invasive cancer

Cystocele

Prolapse of the bladder into the vagina

Cystogram

An X-ray of the bladder where dye is inserted into the bladder using a catheter

Cystoscopy

Inspection of the bladder using a telescope (either flexible or rigid) with an attached light source to illuminate the interior of the bladder

Cytology

The study of individual cells, usually in the urine, to identify malignancy or other disorders

Dilatation

Stretching or widening of an opening, usually the urethra or neck of the bladder

Diverticulum

An abnormal pouch leading off the cavity of a hollow organ; most commonly seen in the bladder

DRE

Digital rectal examination; usually to feel the prostate gland

Dysuria

Painful passage of urine

Embolisation

Blocking the artery to an organ by introducing foam, coils or gel under X-ray control using a small catheter placed in the artery

Enuresis

Incontinence of urine at night usually considered synonymous with bedwetting

Epididymis

The sperm-carrying mechanism lying behind the testis which carries sperms from the testis to the vas deferens during ejaculation

Epididymitis

Inflammation/infection of the epididymis, often involving the testis as well (epididymo-orchitits)

Erectile Dysfunction

Impotence; the inability to obtain or maintain an erection sufficient for penetration and the satisfaction of both sexual partners

ESWL

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy; shockwaves generated in water, focussed and fired through the body to fragment stones in the kidney or ureter

Extravasation

Leakage of urine or surgical irrigation fluid outside the urinary tract

Exstrophy

A congenital condition where the bladder remains on the surface of the lower abdomen open to the outside

Frequency

Passing urine too often, usually during the day

Haematospermia

Blood in the semen during ejaculation

Haematuria

Blood in the urine

Hydrocele

An abnormal collection of fluid in the naturally-occurring sac which surrounds the testicle

Hesitancy

Having to wait an abnormally long time for the flow of urine to start

Immunotherapy

Treatment of cancer by stimulating the natural immune response

Incontinence

Involuntary leakage of urine

IVU

Intravenous urogram; an X-ray of the kidneys, ureters and bladder performed using an injection of dye into a vein in the arm

Kidney

One of two paired organs (normally) which lie at the back of the abdomen, in front of the lower ribs, and filter the blood to produce urine

Laser

Light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation; an energy source for performing some types of urological surgery

Laparoscope

A telescope with a light source and camera attached which is inserted into the abdominal cavity (through a small incision) to perform ‘keyhole’ surgery

Lithotripsy

Wearing away of a stone; usually synonymous with ESWL

Litholapaxy

Crushing of a stone, usually in the bladder, to reduce it to fragments small enough to be passed spontaneously or removed through an endoscope

Lymphadenectomy

Surgical removal of lymph nodes to determine whether they are involved with cancer

Metastasis

A secondary tumour (remote from the original cancer) which has arisen by spread through the blood, the lymph system or by direct invasion

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging; a means of producing cross-sectional images of the body to characterise tissues by the way the electrons in the tissue move in response to a strong magnetic field

Nephron

The microscopic filtering unit in the kidney which filters water and waste products from the blood

Nocturia

Abnormal passage of urine at night

Phimosis

Tightness of the foreskin, either due to a scarring disease or as a result of a congenital abnormality

Paraphimosis

Retraction of a tight foreskin which becomes “stuck” due to an inability to return it to its original position covering the head of the penis

Polyuria

Over-production of urine, usually at night; often occurs in the elderly due to poor water handling ability with increasing age

Prostate Gland

A chestnut-sized organ lying at the bottom of the bladder which produces chemicals to nourish sperms and facilitate their transport to the female uterus

Prostatitis

Infection or inflammation of the prostate gland

Prosthesis

An artifical implant used to replace any part of the body (e.g. a testicle)

PSA

Prostate-specific antigen; a chemical released into the bloodstream by the prostate gland which may be raised in men with prostate cancer

Seminal Vesicle

A sac lying behind the prostate gland which stores seminal fluid and sperms in preparation for ejaculation

Testosterone

The main male hormone produced mainly by the testicles (and by the adrenal gands)

TNM

A staging system for cancer which describes the extent of the primary tumour (T), the lymph nodes (N) and metastases (M)

Transitional Cell Carcinoma

A malignant (cancerous) tumour arising from the internal lining of the urinary tract

TUR

Transurethral resection, usually of the prostate gland (TURP) or of a tumour in the bladder (TURBT)

Ultrasound

High-frequency sound waves used to reflect off tissues to determine their nature

Ureter

The thin, muscular tube which propels urine down from the kidneys to the bladder

Ureteroscopy

Inspection of the ureter (and/or kidney) using a telescope (either flexible or rigid) with an attached light source passed into the bladder and up the ureter towards the kidney

Urethra

The tube through which urine passes to the outside of the body from the bladder

Urgency

A sudden, irresistible desire to pass urine

VARICOCELE

An abnormal collection of varicose veins above the testicle, usually on the left side

Vas Deferens

A muscular tube which carries sperm from the epididymis into the urethra during ejaculation of semen