induration

1. The process of becoming extremely firm or hard, or having such physical features. 2. A focus or region of indurated tissue. SYN: sclerosis (1). [L. induratio (see indurated)]

- brown i. of the lung a condition characterized by firmness of the lungs, and a brown color associated with hemosiderin-pigmented macrophages in alveoli, consequent upon long-continued congestion due to heart disease. SYN: pigment i. of the lung.

- cyanotic i. i. related to persistent, chronic venous congestion in an organ or tissue, frequently resulting in fibrous thickening of the walls of the veins and eventual fibrosis of adjacent tissue; the affected tissue becomes firmer than normal, and tends to have an unusual, red-blue color.

- gray i. a condition occurring in lungs during and after pneumonic processes in which there is failure of resolution; there is a conspicuous increase in fibrous connective tissue in the walls of the alveoli, and also within the alveoli ( e.g., fibrous organization of exudate); in contrast to brown i., there is usually not a prominent degree of pigmentation, unless chronic passive congestion is also present.

- pigment i. of the lung SYN: brown i. of the lung.

- plastic i. sclerosis of corpus cavernosum of penis.

- red i. a condition observed in lungs in which there is an advanced degree of acute passive congestion, acute pneumonitis or a similar pathologic process.

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in·du·ra·tion .in-d(y)ə-'rā-shən n

1) an increase in the fibrous elements in tissue commonly associated with inflammation and marked by loss of elasticity and pliability: SCLEROSIS

2) a hardened mass or formation

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n.

abnormal hardening of a tissue or organ. See also sclerosis.

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in·du·ra·tion (in″du-raґshən) [L. induratio] 1. the quality of being hard. 2. the process of becoming hard; called also hardening and sclerosis. 3. an abnormally hard spot or place. indurative adj