adenopathy
Meaning of adenopathy: Adenopathy refers to enlarged lymph nodes, a finding that can result from infection, inflammation, or, less often, a malignant process.
Definition of adenopathy
Adenopathy describes lymph nodes that are enlarged or otherwise abnormal, most often used interchangeably with the term lymphadenopathy. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped structures distributed throughout the body that filter lymphatic fluid and play a role in the immune response, and they can enlarge when that response is activated by infection, inflammation, or other processes.
Adenopathy can be localized to a single region, such as the neck or armpit, or generalized, involving multiple groups of lymph nodes throughout the body, and the pattern of involvement can help suggest a likely cause. Common causes include viral or bacterial infection and inflammatory conditions, while less commonly, adenopathy can reflect a malignant process such as lymphoma or the spread of cancer from another site.
Evaluating adenopathy typically considers the size, firmness, mobility, and location of the affected nodes, along with the surrounding clinical history, to help determine whether further testing, such as imaging or a biopsy, is needed.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The physical examination revealed cervical adenopathy in a patient with a recent upper respiratory infection.
Good to know
Adenopathy that is soft, mobile, and tender is generally more suggestive of an infectious or inflammatory cause, while firm, fixed, and painless nodes prompt more careful evaluation for other causes, although neither pattern alone is definitive.
Word origin
Where “adenopathy” comes from
Formed from Greek aden, meaning "gland," and pathos, meaning "suffering" or "disease."