What term describes a lump traveling through the bloodstream that may be composed of air, fat, or a clot?

• A. Embolus
• B. Embolism
• C. Thrombus
• D. Clot

Answer: (A)

The traveling lump in the bloodstream is an embolus. An embolus is a piece or mass that moves through the vessels and can be made of air, fat, or a detached clot. When it reaches a vessel and causes blockage, that blockage is called an embolism. A thrombus, by contrast, forms in place on a vessel wall and may grow there rather than travel, and a clot is a general term for a coagulated mass. So the term for the moving lump is embolus, with embolism describing the resulting blockage.