emphysema Definition
em·phy·sema (em′fə sē′mə; -zē′-)
noun
- an abnormal swelling of body tissues caused by the accumulation of air; esp., such a swelling of the lung tissue, due to the permanent loss of elasticity, or the destruction, of the alveoli, which seriously impairs respiration
- heaves
Etymology: ModL < Gr emphysēma, inflation < emphysaein, to inflate, blow in < en-, in + physaein, to blow < IE *phus- < base *pu-, *phu-, echoic of blowing with puffed cheeks
emphysema Related Forms
em′·phy·se′ma·tous (-sē′mə təs, -sem′-) adjective
em′·phy·se′mic adjective, noun
emphysema Usage Examples
Converse of object
- have: A chest X-ray can show if your lungs have become enlarged, which is a sign of having emphysema.
- cause: The following day an interstitial emphysema caused by a lung weakness was diagnosed.
- develop: As a precaution I was kept in over night as I developed surgical emphysema, from the aspiration site.
- produce: Although cigarette smoke produces emphysema, it does so by increasing the amount of elastase in the lungs.
- inherit: Inherited emphysema This research team will be investigating how an inherited abnormal protein causes lung disease with aim of developing new treatments.
- reveal: His CT scan revealed soft tissue emphysema of the thigh.
Adjective modifier
- subcutaneous: The resulting subcutaneous emphysema can be an indication of the extensive internal damage.
- surgical: Higher pressure is avoided at it can lead to surgical emphysema.
- chronic: Other causes include: chronic bronchitis emphysema cystic fibrosis virus-associated wheeze in pre-school children.
- severe: Hyperinflation of the lungs and a barrel shaped chest is very common in patients with severe emphysema.
- mediastinal: A chest radiograph revealed left sided pleural effusion with mediastinal emphysema.
- interstitial: The following day an interstitial emphysema caused by a lung weakness was diagnosed.
Modifies a noun
- sufferer: One of the biggest worries for COPD and emphysema sufferers is how to expectorate the mucus that is blocking their airways.
- bronchitis: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema Chronic bronchitis and emphysema stop the lungs from working properly, typically causing breathlessness and wheezing.
Noun used with modifier
- lung: Many people suffer from the debilitating lung disease emphysema.
- disease: Many people suffer from the debilitating lung disease emphysema.
- bronchitis: Other causes include: chronic bronchitis emphysema cystic fibrosis virus-associated wheeze in pre-school children.
- eg: People with successfully treated heart/lung diseases ( eg emphysema, asthma ).
- tissue: His CT scan revealed soft tissue emphysema of the thigh.
- onset: The profound lack of circulating a1-antitrypsin predisposes the Z a1-antitrypsin homozygote to early onset emphysema.
Browse dictionary entries near emphysema
- ‹ emphatically
- ‹ emphatic
- ‹ emphasize
- ‹ emphasis
- ‹ empery
- ‹ emperor penguin
- ‹ emperor
- ‹ empennage
- ‹ Empedocles
- ‹ empathy
- empire ›
- Empire Day ›
- Empire State ›
- empiric ›
- empirical ›
- empirical formula ›
- empiricism ›
- emplace ›
- emplacement ›
- emplane ›

