Nephromegaly is a medical term that refers to an enlarged kidney. The spelling of the word can be broken down into its individual phonetic sounds: Neh-froh-meh-gah-lee The "Neh" sound at the beginning of the word is pronounced like "ne" in "neck," and "froh" is pronounced like "fro" in "frost." "Meh" sounds like "me" in "meat," "gah" sounds like "ga" in "gap," and "lee" is pronounced like "lee" in "lemon." Using IPA phonetic transcription can help understand and correctly pronounce complex words like nephromegaly.
Nephromegaly is a medical term used to describe the enlargement of one or both of the kidneys. It is derived from the combination of two root words, "nephro," referring to the kidneys, and "megaly," indicating abnormal enlargement or growth.
When nephromegaly occurs, the kidneys become larger in size than what is considered normal. This can be a result of various underlying conditions or diseases affecting the kidneys. Some of the common causes of nephromegaly include polycystic kidney disease, hydronephrosis (accumulation of urine in the kidneys), renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), or certain infections such as pyelonephritis.
Symptoms of nephromegaly may vary depending on the severity of the condition and the underlying cause. Often, individuals with this condition experience lower back pain or abdominal discomfort. Other possible symptoms include high blood pressure, changes in urination patterns, blood in the urine (hematuria), or a palpable mass in the abdomen.
Diagnosis of nephromegaly typically involves a thorough medical history review, physical examination, and various imaging techniques such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. This helps determine the cause and extent of the kidney enlargement.
Treatment for nephromegaly depends on the underlying condition. It may involve medications, surgical procedures, or other interventions aimed at addressing the specific cause and managing symptoms. Regular monitoring and follow-up consultations with a healthcare professional are crucial to ensure proper management of nephromegaly and to prevent potential complications that may arise from the underlying condition.
Extreme hypertrophy of one or both kidneys.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "nephromegaly" is derived from two roots: "nephro-" and "-megaly".
The first root, "nephro-" comes from the Greek word "nephros", which means "kidney". It is commonly used in medical terminology to refer to words related to the kidney, such as "nephritis" (inflammation of the kidney) or "nephrology" (the study of the kidney).
The second part, "-megaly", is also derived from Greek, specifically the word "megas", meaning "large" or "great". The suffix "-megaly" is used to indicate abnormal enlargement or increased size of an organ or body part. For instance, "hepatomegaly" refers to the abnormal enlargement of the liver, with "hepato-" meaning "liver".