Category: La-Lh

Prefix meaning white, as in leukemia. Leuk-and leuko-, the form used before a consonant, come from the Greek “leukos” meaning white.

Leucine.

Abnormal drowsiness, stupor.

An area of abnormal tissue change. Lesions vary in severity from harmless to serious.

The two innermost layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. The two layers are called the arachnoid mater and pia mater.

Having to do with the leptomeninges, the two innermost layers of tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord. Leptomeningeal metastasis refers to cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the leptomeninges.

An infectious disease of the skin, nervous system, and mucous membranes that is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is transmitted via person-to-person contact. For thousands of years leprosy was one of the world’s most feared communicable diseases because the nerve and skin damage often led to terrible disfigurement and disability. Today leprosy can be cured, particularly if treatment is…

The transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina.

A severe form of epilepsy that usually begins in early childhood. It is characterized by frequent seizures of multiple types, mental impairment, and a slow spike-and-wave pattern seen on an EEG. The seizures are notoriously hard to treat and may lead to falls and injuries. Treatment involves anti-epileptic medications.

A parasitic disease, also called leishmaniasis, spread by the bite of sand flies infected with a protozoa (Leishmania). There are several forms of leishmaniasis, the most common being cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. The cutaneous form of the disease causes skin sores while the visceral form strikes internal organs of the body such as the spleen, liver and bone marrow and can be fatal. Cutaneous leishmaniasis involves…