Translation guide
A medical term for a fatty deposit in an artery wall, or a sebaceous cyst. This guide covers how to express both meanings in Japanese, from clinical terms to everyday explanations.
To refer to the buildup of fatty material inside an artery, as in atherosclerosis.
Direct loanword from English, used in medical contexts. Most common term among healthcare professionals.
To refer to a benign cyst under the skin filled with keratin, often called an atheroma in older medical usage.
Standard Japanese term for a sebaceous cyst. Widely understood by doctors and patients.
The English word 'atheroma' is not commonly used in everyday conversation. In Japanese, using アテローム without context may be unclear. Always specify whether you mean arterial plaque or a skin cyst.
While both can refer to a sebaceous cyst, 粉瘤 is the standard term in Japanese dermatology. アテローム is understood but may sound old-fashioned or ambiguous.
Atheromas form on the inner walls of arteries.
Literally 'porridge-like hardening lesion'. A descriptive medical term, often used in pathology reports.
Atheromas contain cholesterol and cellular debris.
Means 'arteriosclerotic plaque'. Used in explanations for patients or in general medical writing.
When an atheroma ruptures, a blood clot forms.
Literally 'fatty plaque'. Less common, but understandable in context.
Fatty plaques narrow the blood vessels.
I got a sebaceous cyst on my back.
Also used for sebaceous cysts, though less common than 粉瘤 in dermatology. May cause confusion with the arterial meaning.
In dermatology, 粉瘤 is preferred to avoid ambiguity with arterial atheroma.
This atheroma needs to be excised.
Medical term for epidermal cyst, often used interchangeably with 粉瘤 in clinical settings.
An epidermal cyst is a benign lump that forms under the skin.