| Medical Dictionary |
A Medical Dictionary of Medical Terminology
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Your liver makes a digestive juice called bile. Your gallbladder stores it between meals. When you eat, your gallbladder pushes the bile into tubes called bile ducts. They carry the bile to your small intestine. The bile helps break down fat. It also helps the liver get rid of toxins and wastes.
Bile duct cancer is rare. It can happen in the parts of the bile ducts that are outside or inside the liver. Cancer of the bile duct outside of the liver is much more common. Risk factors include having inflammation of the bile duct, ulcerative colitis, and some liver diseases.
Symptoms can include:
Tests to diagnose bile duct cancer may include a physical exam, imaging tests of the liver and bile ducts, blood tests, and a biopsy.
Treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy.
NIH: National Cancer Institute
Your liver makes a digestive juice called bile. Your gallbladder stores it between meals. When you eat, your gallbladder pushes the bile into tubes called bile ducts. They carry the bile to your small intestine. The bile helps break down fat. It also helps the liver get rid of toxins and wastes.
Different diseases can block the bile ducts and cause a problem with the flow of bile:
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Jaundice causes your skin and the whites of your eyes to turn yellow. Too much bilirubin causes jaundice. Bilirubin is a yellow chemical in hemoglobin, the substance that carries oxygen in your red blood cells. As red blood cells break down, your body builds new cells to replace them. The old ones are processed by the liver. If the liver cannot handle the blood cells as they break down, bilirubin builds up in the body and your skin may look yellow.
Many healthy babies have some jaundice during the first week of life. It usually goes away. However, jaundice can happen at any age and may be a sign of a problem. Jaundice can happen for many reasons, such as:
The pancreas is a gland behind your stomach and in front of your spine. It produces juices that help break down food and hormones that help control blood sugar levels. Problems with the pancreas can lead to many health problems. These include:
The pancreas also plays a role in diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas no longer make insulin because the body's immune system has attacked them. In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals.
The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the first part of the small intestine. It secretes digestive juices into the small intestine through a tube called the pancreatic duct. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. It happens when digestive enzymes start digesting the pancreas itself. Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Either form is serious and can lead to complications.
Acute pancreatitis occurs suddenly and usually goes away in a few days with treatment. It is often caused by gallstones. Common symptoms are severe pain in the upper abdomen, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment is usually a few days in the hospital for intravenous (IV) fluids, antibiotics, and medicines to relieve pain.
Chronic pancreatitis does not heal or improve. It gets worse over time and leads to permanent damage. The most common cause is heavy alcohol use. Other causes include cystic fibrosis and other inherited disorders, high levels of calcium or fats in the blood, some medicines, and autoimmune conditions. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and oily stools. Treatment may also be a few days in the hospital for intravenous (IV) fluids, medicines to relieve pain, and nutritional support. After that, you may need to start taking enzymes and eat a special diet. It is also important to not smoke or drink alcohol.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
X-rays are a painless medical imaging test. They send a small amount of radiation through your body to create pictures of bones and organs.
X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation. They create images in shades of black, white, and gray because different tissues absorb radiation differently. Bones absorb the most radiation and appear white. Fat and other soft tissues absorb less and appear gray. Air absorbs the least radiation, so areas like the lungs appear black.
The image is recorded on film or sent to a computer. Health care providers use x-rays to find health problems and to check how well certain treatments are working.
Who needs an x-ray?X-rays are commonly used to check for fractures (broken bones). They are also used for other purposes. For example, chest x-rays can detect pneumonia. Mammograms use x-rays to look for breast cancer. X-rays are also used as part of other imaging tests, such as CT scans.
How do you prepare for an x-ray?In most cases, little or no preparation is needed. You may be asked to wear a lead apron to protect certain parts of your body. You may also be asked to remove jewelry or other items that could affect the image.
The amount of radiation from an x-ray is small. For example, the radiation from a chest x-ray is about the same as the natural radiation you are exposed to from the environment over about 10 days.
Always tell your provider if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
How is an x-ray done?Depending on the part of your body being examined, you may be asked to stand, sit, or lie down. You will need to stay still for a short time while the image is taken.
What should you expect after an x-ray?After an x-ray, you can return to normal activities right away. A specialist called a radiologist reviews the images and shares the results with your provider.