gastrointestinal series

gastrointestinal series,

an examination of the upper GI tract using barium as the contrast medium for a series of x-ray films. Also called barium meal.

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series [se´rēz]

a group or succession of events, objects, or substances arranged in regular order or forming a kind of chain; in electricity, parts of a circuit connected successively end to end to form a single path for the current. adj., adj se´rial.

erythrocyte series (erythrocytic series) the succession of morphologically distinguishable cells that that are stages in erythrocyte development: in order of maturity, the proerythroblast, basophilic erythroblast, polychromatophilic erythroblast, orthochromatic erythroblast, reticulocyte, and erythrocyte.

gastrointestinal series (GI series) an examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract using barium as the contrast medium for a series of x-ray films; see also barium test. Called also barium meal.

granulocyte series (granulocytic series) the succession of morphologically distinguishable cells that are stages in granulocyte development: in order of maturity, the myeloblast, promyelocyte, myelocyte, metamyelocyte, the band or stab cell, which is the least mature form normally found in the peripheral blood, and the mature segmented (polymorphonuclear) granulocyte. Commitment to one of the granulocyte lines occurs in stem cells before the myeloblast stage is reached; thus there are distinct neutrophil, eosinophil, and basophil series; however, the morphologic stages are the same.

lymphocyte series (lymphocytic series) the succession of developing cells that ultimately culminates in mature lymphocytes. The morphologically distinguishable forms are lymphoblast, prolymphocyte, and lymphocyte.

monocyte series (monocytic series) the succession of developing cells that ultimately culminates in the monocyte. The morphologically distinguishable forms are monoblast, promonoblast, and monocyte.

plasmacyte series (plasmacytic series) a series of morphologically distinguishable cells that are stages in plasma cell development: in order of maturity, the plasmablast (an activated B cell usually referred to as a large lymphocyte or lymphoblast), proplasmacyte, and plasmacyte.

thrombocyte series (thrombocytic series) the succession of developing cells that ultimately culminates in platelets (thrombocytes). The morphologically distinct cell types are megakaryoblast, promegakaryocyte, and megakaryocyte, which fragments to form platelets.

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gastrointestinal

pertaining to the stomach and intestine.

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gastrointestinal foreign body

see intestinal obstruction.

gastrointestinal hormones

hormones secreted by the gastrointestinal epithelium that affect the function of the tract itself and of its allied organs, e.g. gastrin, glucagon, enteroglucagon, somatostatin, secretin, cholecystokinin-pancreozymin, motilin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide.

gastrointestinal series

a radiological examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract using barium as the contrast medium for a series of x-ray films. Called also a barium meal. See barium study.

gastrointestinal tract

the stomach and intestines in continuity. See also digestive system.