DICTIONARY

A condition caused by not eating enough food or not eating a balanced diet.

A tear in the lower end of the esophagus caused by severe vomiting.

Conditions that occur when the small intestine cannot absorb nutrients from foods.

A test that takes pictures of the body

A distinct signaling protein released by lymphocytes.

An inflammatory bowel disease that affects the large bowel. Also called microscopic colitis because there is no sign of inflammation on the surface of the colon during a colonoscopy.

An obstruction of lymph drainage from the small intestine causing malabsorption.

Barium enema x ray.

The muscle between the esophagus and stomach. When a person swallows, this muscle relaxes to let food pass from the esophagus to the stomach. It stays closed at other times to keep stomach contents from flowing back into the esophagus.

An abnormal ring of tissue that may partially block the lower esophagus. Also called Schatzki

The place on a chromosome where a specific gene is located, a kind of address for the gene. The plural is “loci.”

Blood tests that may indicate abnormalities of the liver or biliary system. Also called liver enzyme tests.

Blood tests that may indicate abnormalities of the liver or biliary system. Also called liver function tests.

The largest abdominal organ. The liver carries out many important functions, such as making important blood proteins and bile, changing food into energy, and cleaning alcohol and poisons from the blood.

A feeling of fullness in the anus and rectum with occasional pain caused by muscle spasms.