When a catheter is used to inject a dye that can be seen on X-rays, the procedure is called angiography. When a catheter is used to clear a narrowed or blocked artery, the procedure is called angioplasty or a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition: Coccobacillus. A coccobacillus is a type of bacterium with a shape that is intermediate between cocci and bacilli. Coccobacilli are therefore in essence very short rods which may be mistaken for cocci. Haemophilus influenzae, Gardnerella vaginalis, and Chlamydia trachomatis are coccobacilli. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a gram-negative coccobacillus that is prevalent in subgingival plaques. Acinetobacter strains may grow on solid media as coccobacilli. Bordetella pertussis is a gram-negative coccobacillus responsible for causing whooping cough. Coxiella burnetti is also a coccobacillus. Bacteria from the Brucellae genus are medically important coccobacilli that cause brucellosis.
Bacteria, which are spherical or ovoid in shape, are called âcoccusâ (plural: cocci) (Figure 2.2). Based on the arrangement of the cells they are of the following types. (a) Coccus: The spherical bacteria cells, called cocci, are present as single individuals. (b) Diplococcus: The cocci are arranged in pairs. (c) Streptococcus: The cocci are arranged in chains, as the cells divide in one plane. (d) Tetrads: The cocci are arranged in packets of four cells, as the cells divide in two plains. (e) Staphylococcus: The cocci are arranged in grape-like clusters formed by irregular cell divisions in three plains.