Urology Glossary

Removal of a small tissue sample for microscopic examination.

The midline, lower abdominal organ which stores urine

A type of scan which is usually used to determine if there has been spread of tumour into the bones

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

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

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

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

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

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

The use of drugs to treat cancer

Removal of the foreskin

Inflammation of the internal lining of the bladder

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

Surgical removal of the bladdder, usually for invasive cancer

Prolapse of the bladder into the vagina

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

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

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

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

Digital rectal examination; insertion of a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum usually to check for any abnormalities of the prostate.

Painful passage of urine

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

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

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

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

Passing urine too often, usually during the day

Blood in the semen during ejaculation

Blood in the urine. It can be macroscopic (seen with the naken eye), or microscopic (detected only by testing the urine)

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

Holmium Laser Enuleation of the Prostate. Removing the part of the prostate gland blocking the flow of urine using the holmium laser

A type of laser energy used to cut prostate tissue or to break up renal stones

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

Intracystoplasmic sperm injection, where a single sperm is injected into a female's egg to create an embryo. This is a form of IVF

Involuntary leakage of urine

In-vitro fertilisation, where embryos are made by fertilizing the female's eggs outside the womb

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

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

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

A telescope with a light source and camera attached which is inserted into the abdomen (through a smallincision) to perform 'keyhole' surgery

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

Breaking a stone; usually synonymous with ESWL

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

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

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

Mid Stream Urine. The collection of a specimen of urine to see if there is a urinary tract infection

Abnormal passage of urine at night

Retraction of a tight foreskin which becomes "stuck" due to an inability to return it to its original positioncovering the head of the penis

A molecular test for the detection of prostate cancer cells in the urine

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

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

A walnut-sized organ lying at the base of the bladder which produces chemicals to nourish sperm and facilitate their transport to the female uterus

Infection or inflammation of the prostate gland

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

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

The use of X-Rays to treat cancer

The passage of a stone down the ureter which causes severe intermittent pain

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

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

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

TransUrethral Resection, usually of the prostate gland (TURP) or of a tumour in the bladder (TURBT)

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

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

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

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

A sudden, irresistible desire to pass urine

An investigation which looks at the function of the bladder

An investigation which looks at the function of the bladder

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

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