agranulocytosis
- noun
- /ˌeɪɡrəˌnjuːləˈsaɪtəs/
- Specialized
- Patients diagnosed with agranulocytosis must undergo regular blood tests to monitor their white blood cell levels.
Examples
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Agranulocytosis is more serious and usually occurs within three months of starting treatment.
Academic text (2014) -
Agranulocytosis is nothing to mess around with!
Blog text (28) -
With clozapine, routine monitoring is required prior to and throughout treatment because of the risk of neutropenia and agranulocytosis.
Academic text (2012) -
Aagranulocytosis can lead to life-threatening infections if not treated promptly.
-
After experiencing symptoms of agranulocytosis, she was advised to see a specialist for further evaluation.
Synonyms
A low number of certain white blood cells that fight infection, often after cancer treatment
A very low number of white blood cells that fight infection
A condition when the body has too few neutrophils, the white blood cells that fight infection
A low number of white blood cells in the blood, making infections more likely
Antonyms
How Severe
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
agranulocytosis = granulocyte (opaque) = a + granul + cyt + osis
The medical term is specialized and not easily derived from its components by average learners.
Etymology
Agranulocytosis breaks into a- ('without'), granule ('small grain'), and -cytosis ('condition of cells'). So it means a serious condition where the white blood cells called granulocytes are very low — imagine cells 'without their little grains' — which makes the body more likely to get infections.