Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Glossary
Download the Glossary of Terms (PDF)
Search by letter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
H
Hanman-Rich Syndrone: A clinical name or syndrome associated with Acute Interstitial Pneumonia
Haploid: Having the number of chromosomes present in the normal germ cell, equal to half the number in the normal somatic cell
Hemo-, Hema-: Blood Hepatic Of, pertaining to, or resembling the liver
Histiocytosis: A disease caused by the clustering of specilized inflammatory cells called histiocytes in affected organs
Histology: The microscopic structure of tissue
Histopathology: The pathology of changes in diseased tissue
Honeycombing: Resembling a honeycomb (hexagonal, thin-walled cells) in structure or pattern
HRCT: High Resolution Computed Tomography, a special type of CT scan
Hyaline: Material that is translucent or transparent like glass when examined under the microscope
Hyperplasia: A nontumorous increase in the number of cells in an organ or tissue with consequent enlargement of the affected part
Hypoxia: Deficiency of oxygen in arterial blood
I
Idiopathic: Cause is unknown
IFN: Interferons, cellular proteins produced in response to inflammation and infection which prevent replication of virus within an infected cell and regulate immune response
ILD: Interstitial lung diseases
Immune response: The reactions of the immune system to foreign substances
Immunotherapy: The treatment of disease by use of antigenic preparations
In vitro: In a test tube or lab environment
In vivo: In a living body
Incidence: Number of people per unit of population (usually 100,000) who get a given disease over a period of one year
Interferons: See IFN
Interleukin: Biologically active proteins which regulate inflammation and are secreted by many types of white blood cells
Interstitium: Tissue wall between air sacs of lung and tissue surrounding the blood vessels and bronchi
J
K
Search by letter A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z