Indiana University Medical Group - Clinical Specialty Definitions

IU Medical Group - Specialty Care provides a wide-range of health care services in virtually every medical specialty. The definitions below will help you understand the types of conditions or illnesses for which each specialty area cares.

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Adolescent Medicine provides primary health care for young men and women aged 12-20, during the complex period between childhood and adulthood. Doctors care for the psychological and cognitive development as well as physical growth.

Anesthesia is the partial or complete loss of sensation (feeling), with or without loss of consciousness, induced by injection or inhalation, most often to prevent pain and discomfort during a procedure or surgery. Anesthesiologists are doctors who administer the drugs that "put you to sleep" and monitor the patient's heart, lung and circulation throughout the procedure.

Behavioral Pediatrics helps parents learn to manage frequent and disruptive behaviors in children. Problem behaviors vary according to age and can occur throughout childhood. Examples include: sleep difficulties, head-banging, breath holding, biting, toilet training, thumb-sucking, disobedience, stealing, jealousy, aggression, truancy and alcohol or drug abuse.

Cardiology is the study of the heart and heart disease; cardiologists are physicians, who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart problems, such as chest pain, irregular heart beats, high or low blood pressure and clogged arteries.

Cardiothoracic Surgery refers to the surgeons who specialize in operations on the heart and blood vessels to prevent or repair damage caused by clogged arteries, heart attacks or birth defects. Patients generally see a cardiologist first and receive a referral to a cardiac surgeon. Also called cardiovascular surgery.

Child Development is the increase in abilities - physical, intellectual and social - through which a child progresses. Child development experts assess the under five child in four main areas: 1) locomotion, 2) hearing and speech, 3) vision and fine movement, and 4) social behavior and play. When delays are noted, they attempt to identify the cause, such as poor vision, hearing disorders, lack of experience or muscle disease. Developmental delay does not refer to physical growth.

Clinical Pharmacology relates to the study of medications, including the discovery and development of new drugs, and the analysis of their chemical structure, side effects, toxicity and interactions.

Dermatology provides diagnosis and treatment for skin, hair and nail conditions. Problems include warts, hair loss, fungal infections, acne, athlete's foot, eczema, rashes and skin cancer.

Developmental Pediatrics provides evaluation and treatment for children who are at risk for developmental or feeding problems due to birth defects or other handicapping conditions.

Emergency Medicine physicians specialize in urgent conditions, illnesses or injuries -- which may be the result of an unexpected incident -- which require immediate medical or surgical evaluation and treatment.

Endocrinology refers to the endocrine system - a collection of hormone-producing glands which regulate the body's rate of metabolism, growth and reproductive development and functioning. An increase or decrease in production interferes with the process it controls. Examples of problems include thyroid conditions and diabetes.

Family Medicine provides continuing and comprehensive health care for individuals and family. It encompasses all ages, both sexes, each organ system and every disease entity or type of problem (biological, behavioral or social).

Gastroenterology/Hepatology offers evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the digestive system (esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon and rectum), as well as liver, gallbladder and pancreas.

Gynecology relates to the female reproductive system and involves investigation and treatment of disorders relating to menstruation, menopause and fertility as well as advice on contraception. Many, but not all, gynecologists are also obstetricians.

Gynecologic Oncology relates to the causes, development, characteristics and treatment of tumors, particularly cancerous ones, of the female reproductive system. Examples include endometrial, cervical, ovarian and uterine cancers.

Hematology refers to the study of blood and bone marrow disorders, such as anemia, hemophilia or leukemia.

Infectious Diseases are illnesses caused by a specific disease-causing organism (germ) and which can be transmitted from person to person. Examples include viral illnesses, HIV/AIDS, meningitis, whooping cough, pneumonia, tuberculosis and histoplasmosis.

Internal Medicine physicians are unique in their focus on adult medicine of both sexes; however, they do not care for reproductive conditions.

Maternal & Fetal Medicine physicians care for both the pregnant women (mother) and unborn child (fetus) in high-risk pregnancy situations. Examples include recurrent miscarriages, mothers with diabetes or kidney disease, or a fetus with a heart defect.

Medical & Molecular Genetics provides diagnosis and treatment of genetic disorders, where there is an inherited abnormality in the biochemistry of the body, such as Down syndrome and Huntington disease. These physicians offer family and genetic counseling, carrier testing and prenatal counseling.

Neonatology is the care and treatment of newborn infants up to six weeks of age.

Nephrology is the study, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disorders, such as kidney stones, tumors, and blood or protein in the urine, as well as kidney damage resulting from other conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.

Neurology relates to the study of the central nervous system (including the brain and spinal cord) and the diagnosis and treatment of its disorders. Examples include neuromas (benign tumors), stroke, ticks, movement disorders, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and multiple sclerosis.

Neurosurgery provides surgical repair and treatment of nervous system disorders. Conditions treated include brain and spinal cord tumors, aneurysms (bulge at a weak point of an artery), bleeding inside the skull, some birth defects like hydrocephalus and spina befida, epilepsy and nerve damage due to injury. Patients generally see a neurologist first and receive a referral to a neurosurgeon.

Nuclear Medicine refers to imaging techniques that use radioactive substances to detect and treat disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET scans) are examples.

Obstetrics encompasses pregnancy, childbirth (labor and deliver) and the period immediately afterward. Many, but not all, obstetricians are gynecologists.

Oncology relates to the causes, development, characteristics and treatment of tumors, particularly cancerous ones.

Ophthalmology is the study of the eye, and the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that affect it. Ophthalmologists not only perform vision tests and prescribe glasses or contact lenses, but also the surgery to treat eye disorders, such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinal detachment and obstructed tear ducts.

Orthopaedic Surgery encompasses disorders of bones, joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. Orthopaedic surgeons set broken bones; care for dislocated joints, slipped disks and other back problems; treat bone tumors and skeletal birth defects; and surgically repair or replace hip, knee and finger joints.

Otolaryngology refers to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the head and neck (excluding brain, eyes and spinal cord). Otolaryngologists, sometimes called "ear, nose and throat doctors" or "ENTs," perform surgical procedures to correct conditions, such as hearing loss, ear infections, sinus and airway problems, and sinus or neck tumors. They are also well-versed in facial plastic surgery.

Pathology is the study of disease, its causes, mechanisms and effects on the body. Pathologists are physicians who conduct the laboratory tests of tissues and cells to help other physicians diagnose conditions.

Pediatric Cardiology refers to the care of children with heart problems. Cardiologists are specially trained in finding, treating and preventing heart and blood vessel disease in children from infancy to adolescence.

Pediatric Endocrinology refers to the child's endocrine system - a collection of glands that produces hormones that regulate the body's rate of metabolism, growth and reproductive development and functioning. An increase or decrease in production interferes with the process it controls. Examples of problems include short stature, diabetes, thyroid conditions and delayed puberty.

Pediatric Gastroenterology offers evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for children with illnesses of the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, intestines, colon and rectum), liver and pancreas.

Pediatric Hematology refers to the study of blood and bone marrow disorders, such as anemia, hemophilia or leukemia, in children.

Pediatric Infectious Disease provides diagnosis and treatment of illnesses caused by a specific disease-causing organism (germ), which can be transmitted from child to child. Examples include viral illnesses, sepsis, HIV/AIDS, meningitis, whooping cough, pneumonia, tuberculosis and histoplasmosis.

Pediatric Nephrology provides evaluation and treatment for children with kidney disease (blood or protein in urine, kidney stones, bedwetting) or kidney failure.

Pediatric Neurology relates to the study of infant's and children's central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, and the diagnosis and treatment of its disorders. Examples include neuromas (benign tumors), stroke, ticks, movement disorders, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.

Pediatric Oncology relates to the causes, development, characteristics and treatment of tumors, particularly cancerous ones, in infants and children.

Pediatric Pulmonary physicians care for infants and children with breathing disorders and lung conditions, such as asthma, allergies, wheezing, coughing and respiratory infections.

Pediatric Rheumatology refers to the causes, development, evaluation and treatment of childhood arthritis and related rheumatic diseases (joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons).

Pediatric Surgery is the treatment of disorders in infants and children by operative surgery, involving an incision (cutting) into the skin or other organ to inspect, remove or repair the organ. General pediatric surgeons perform a variety of operations on almost all parts of the body.

Pediatrics (General) encompasses preventative health care as well and the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic diseases in children from birth to young adulthood. Pediatricians are uniquely qualified to provide care for children and primarily concerned with the physical, developmental, emotional and social health of the child.

Perinatology is the care and treatment of the unborn baby during pregnancy and the newborn during the first month of life. Perinatologists, the physicians who provide this care, are most often involved in high-risk pregnancies.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation concentrates on patients recovering from, or overcoming, disabilities or impairments - especially of the joints or muscles -- caused by injury, illness or neurological conditions, such as stroke.

Plastic Surgery is any operation to repair or reconstruct skin or underlying tissue that has been damaged by injury (burns), disease (mastectomy) or aging (face lifts), or has been malformed since birth (cleft palate). Any procedure performed to improve the appearance of an otherwise healthy individual is cosmetic surgery.

Psychiatry is the study, prevention and treatment of mental illness and emotional and behavioral problems.

Pulmonary physicians diagnose and treat breathing disorders and lung conditions, such as asthma, allergies, coughing, pneumonia and respiratory infections.

Radiation Oncology refers to the treatment of cancer - and occasionally other diseases - with X-rays and other sources of radiation. As it passes through the diseased tissue, radiation can destroy or slow the development of abnormal cells.

Radiology provides images of almost any organ, system or body part in a noninvasive way so that diagnoses can be made. Examples include X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI.

Reproductive Endocrinology refers to the hormone-producing glands responsible for female reproductive development and functioning. An increase or decrease in production interferes with the process it controls. Examples of problems include menstrual abnormalities, hormonal imbalance, infertility and multiple miscarriages.

Rheumatology refers to the causes, development, diagnosis and treatment of joint, muscle and connective tissue diseases, such as arthritis and rheumatism.

Surgery is the treatment of disorders by operative surgery, involving an incision (cutting) into the skin or other organ to inspect, remove or repair the organ. General surgeons perform a variety of operations on almost all parts of the body.

Transplant Surgery is the replacement of a diseased organ or tissue with a healthy, living substitute. Examples include heart, lung, kidney, liver and cornea.

Urology relates to the structure, functioning and disorders of the urinary tract (ureters, bladders and urethra) in both males and females and of the reproductive tract in males. Some disorders include incontinence, bladder tumors and urinary tract infection.

Vascular Surgery relates to any operation to treat, repair or reconstruct the vascular system (blood vessels and lymphatics). Examples include vericose veins, venous disease, non-healing ulcers, clogged arteries and leg pain.