HYPERCHROMIA Meaning and
Definition
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Hyperchromia is a medical term used to describe a condition characterized by an increased intensity of color or pigmentation. It is derived from the Greek words "hyper," meaning excessive or increased, and "chroma," meaning color. This term is primarily used in the context of pathology to describe abnormal changes in the color of tissues or cells, particularly in relation to staining or pigmentation.
In the field of histopathology, hyperchromia refers to an increased darkness or intensity of color exhibited by the nucleus of a cell when stained with a dye, such as hematoxylin. Normally, the nucleus appears pale, while the cytoplasm is more intensely stained. However, hyperchromia indicates an abnormal accumulation of genetic material in the nucleus, leading to a darker appearance. This observation can be indicative of cellular abnormalities or diseases such as cancer.
Furthermore, hyperchromia can also refer to excessive pigmentation or coloration of certain body tissues or structures. For instance, in ophthalmology, it is sometimes used to describe an increased pigmentation of the iris, leading to a darker coloration of the eyes. Similarly, hyperchromia may be manifested in changes regarding skin pigmentation, where certain areas exhibit a deepening of color beyond what is considered normal.
Overall, hyperchromia signifies a heightened intensity of color or pigmentation, observed predominantly in the context of medical and pathological conditions.
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A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for HYPERCHROMIA
- hyperchomia
- gyperchromia
- byperchromia
- nyperchromia
- jyperchromia
- uyperchromia
- yyperchromia
- htperchromia
- hgperchromia
- hhperchromia
- huperchromia
- h7perchromia
- h6perchromia
- hyoerchromia
- hylerchromia
- hy-erchromia
- hy0erchromia
- hypwrchromia
- hypsrchromia
- hypdrchromia
Etymology of HYPERCHROMIA
The word hyperchromia is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: hyper meaning excess or over and chroma meaning color.
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