Bma Illustrated Medical Dictionary

(see adhesion). Other disorders of the

ileum include Meckel’s diverticulumand

diseases in which absorption of nutri-

ents is impaired, such as Crohn’s

disease, coeliac disease, tropical sprue,

and lymphoma.

ileus, paralyticA failure, usually tem-

porary, of the normal contractility of the

muscles of the intestine. Paralytic ileus

commonly follows abdominal surgery

and may also be induced by severe

abdominal injury, peritonitis, internal

bleeding, acute pancreatitis, or interfer-

ence with the blood or nerve supply to

the intestine. Symptoms include a

swollen abdomen, vomiting, and failure

to pass faeces. The condition is treated

by resting the intestine. A tube passed

through the nose or mouth into the

stomach or intestine removes accumu-

lated fluids and keeps the stomach

empty. Body fluid levels are maintained

by intravenous infusion(drip).

iliumThe largest of the hip-bones that

form part of the pelvis.

illnessPerception by a person that he

or she is not well. Illness is a subjective

sensation; it may have physical or

psychological causes. The term is also

used to mean disease or disorder.

illusionA distorted sensation based on

misinterpretation of a real stimulus (for

example, a pen is seen as a dagger). It is

differs from a hallucination,in which a

perception occurs without any stimulus.

Usually, illusions are brief and can be

understood when explained. They may

be due to tiredness or anxiety, to drugs,

or to forms of brain damage. Delirium

tremensis a classic inducer of illusions.

imaging techniquesTechniques that

produce images of structures within the

body. The most commonly used and

simplest techniques are X-rays(to view

dense structures such as bone) and

contrast X-rays, in which a medium, such

as barium, that is opaque to X-rays is

introduced into the body. Contrast

X-ray techniques include barium X-ray

examinations (used to examine the

oesophagus, the stomach and the small

intestine); cholecystography(used to vis-

ualize the gallbladder and common bile

duct); bronchography(to view the air-

ways connecting the windpipe to the

lungs); angiographyand venography(to

provide images of the blood vessels);

intravenous urography (to visualize the

kidneys and urinary tract); and ERCP

(by which the pancreatic duct and bil-

iary system are examined).

Many X-ray imaging techniques have

been superseded by newer procedures.

These include ultrasound scanning, MRI

(magnetic resonance imaging), PET scan-

ning, and radionuclide scanning. However,

X-rays are used in CT scanning.Some of

these techniques use computers to pro-

cess the raw imaging data and produce

the actual image. Others can produce im-

ages without a computer, although one

may be used to enhance the image.

imipramineA tricyclic antidepressant

drugmost commonly used as a long-

term treatment for depression. Possible

adverse effects include excessive sweat-

ing, blurred vision, dizziness, dry mouth,

constipation, nausea, and, in older men,

difficulty passing urine.

immersion footA type of cold injury,

also called trench foot, occurring when

the feet are wet and cold for a long

time. Initially, the feet turn pale and

have no detectable pulse; later, they

become red, swollen, and painful. If the

condition is ignored, muscle weakness,

skin ulcers, or gangrenemay develop.

immobilityReduced physical activity,

for example, through disease, injury, or

following major surgery. Immobility is

ILEUS, PARALYTIC IMMOBILITY

I

Duodenum

Colon

Caecum

ILEUM

Ileum

Jejunum

Stomach

Rectum