SpinalNet - Glossary U

Glossary U

Scroll down this list to find the medical term and its explanation, or click on the links below to jump straight to that section. Click on the table above to choose another letter.

Ua Uq

Ur Uz

Ua Uq
Ulcer	A break in the skin or in the lining of the digestive tract (gut) that fails to heal naturally. Examples of ulcers include pressure sores on the skin and stomach ulcers on the lining of the stomach.
Ultrasonography	Method that uses high frequency sound waves to provide a picture of the inside of the body.
Ultrasound	High frequency sound waves.
Underventilated	Not enough air is passing into and out of the lungs/or part of the lungs, during breathing.
Unmyelinated axon (or nerve)	A nerve cell in which its long thread-like extension (axon) is not covered in a layer of myelin – white, fatty, insulating material. Unmyelinated nerves transmit impulses more slowly than myelinated nerves.
Upper digestive system	The upper parts of the digestive tract – that is the mouth, oesophagus (gullet) and the stomach. These parts of the digestive system are responsible for the initial stages of digestion. This includes both physically breaking down the food by chewing and churning of the stomach contents, as well as producing digestive juices to chemically break the food down.
Upper motor neurones	Nerve cells (neurones) that start in the brain and run down the spinal cord. Different motor neurones end at different points along the spinal cord. Where they end, they will connect with another type of neurone (lower motor neurones) that will allow their message to continue to travel towards its destination in the body.
Ur Uz	back to top
Ureter	The tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Ureteral reflux	Inappropriate passage of urine from the bladder, back towards the kidneys, up the tubes that link them, called ureters.
Ureterovesical junction	A valve-like structure found at the point where the tubes leading from the kidneys (the ureters) join the bladder.
Urethra	The tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body.
Urethral catheter	A drainage tube (catheter) inserted into the bladder, by passing it up through the urethra – the natural tube that leads from the bladder to the outside.
Urethral sphincter	A valve-like structure, made of a ring of muscle. The internal urethral sphincter is found where the urethra joins the base of the bladder. This valve can open and close and, along with another valve further along the urethra (called the external urethral sphincter) it controls when urine can leave the bladder, i.e., when urination takes place.
Urethral trauma	Physical damage to the urethra – the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside.
Urethrogram	A photographic or electronic image of the urethra.
Urinalysis	Analysis of the contents of the urine, for example looking at its appearance, acidity or the presence of protein, sugar or bacteria. Urinalysis can be used as an indication of how various parts of the body, such as the kidney, are working.
Urinary crystals	Small solid deposits formed in urine from calcium and other substances.
Urinary diversion	Surgical redirection of the flow of urine from its normal pathway. It may be needed as a result of serious problems with the bladder or urethra.
Urinary output	The volume of urine produced over a given period of time.
Urinary system	The structures involved in the process of producing, storing and removing urine from the body. It includes the kidneys and the bladder, the tubes that connect them to each other (the ureters) and the tube that connects the bladder to the outside (the urethra).
Urinary tract	Another name for the urinary system – the kidneys, the bladder, the ureters (tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) and the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the outside).
Urinary tract infection (UTI)	A bacterial infection of part of the urinary tract (i.e., of the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra).
Urination	The process of passing urine out from the bladder to the outside.
Urine	The fluid produced by the kidneys to remove waste products, excess water and other substances from the body.
Urine composition	Describes what the urine is made up of – in terms of the water, chemicals and cells (e.g., bacteria).
Urine drainage system	An artificial method of emptying the bladder. For example a catheter (tube) inserted into the bladder at one end, and connected to tubing and a urine collection bag at the other.
Urine flow rates	The rate of production of urine, described as the volume produced in a given time.
Urodynamic studies	Assessment of the pressure and flow of urine in the bladder and connecting tubes. It can be used to determine bladder function.
Urological investigation	An assessment of the functionality of the urinary system (i.e., the kidneys, bladder and connecting tubes).
Uterus	Female reproductive organ where an embryo grows and develops in the months before birth. Also known as the womb.

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