An ectopia () is a displacement or malposition of an organ or other body part, which is then referred to as ectopic ({{IPAc-en, ɛ, k, ˈ, t, ɒ, p, ɪ, k). Most ectopias are

congenital A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can ...

, but some may happen later in life.

Examples

Ectopic ACTH syndrome Small-cell carcinoma is a type of highly malignant cancer that most commonly arises within the lung, although it can occasionally arise in other body sites, such as the cervix, prostate, and gastrointestinal tract. Compared to non-small-cell lung ...

, also known as small-cell carcinoma. *

Ectopic calcification Ectopic calcification is a pathologic deposition of calcium salts in tissues or bone growth in soft tissues. This can be a symptom of hyperphosphatemia. Formation of osseous tissue in soft tissues such as the lungs, eyes, arteries, or other organs ...

, a pathologic deposition of calcium salts in tissues or bone growth in soft tissues * Cerebellar tonsillar ectopia, aka Chiari malformation, a herniation of the brain through the foramen magnum, which may be congenital or caused by trauma. * Ectopic cilia, a hair growing where it isn't supposed to be, commonly an eyelash on an abnormal spot on the eyelid, distichia *

Ectopia cordis Ectopia cordis (Greek: ''"away / out of place"'' + Latin: ''"heart"'') or ectopic heart is a congenital malformation in which the heart is abnormally located either partially or totally outside of the thorax. The ectopic heart can be found along ...

, the displacement of the heart outside the body during fetal development * Ectopic enamel, a tooth abnormality, where enamel is found in an unusual location, such as at the root of a tooth *

Ectopic expression Ectopic is a word used with a prefix, ecto, meaning “out of place.” Ectopic expression is an abnormal gene expression in a cell type, tissue type, or developmental stage in which the gene is not usually expressed. The term ectopic expression is ...

, the expression of a gene in an abnormal place in an organism * Ectopic hormone, a hormone produced by a tumor, such as small-cell carcinoma, can cause

Cushing's syndrome Cushing's syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms due to prolonged exposure to glucocorticoids such as cortisol. Signs and symptoms may include high blood pressure, abdominal obesity but with thin arms and legs, reddish stretch marks, a ...

Ectopia lentis Ectopia lentis is a displacement or malposition of the eye's crystalline lens from its normal location. A partial dislocation of a lens is termed lens subluxation or subluxated lens; a complete dislocation of a lens is termed lens luxation or l ...

, the displacement of the crystalline lens of the eye * Neuronal ectopia *

Ectopic pancreas An ectopic pancreas is an anatomical abnormality in which pancreatic tissue has grown outside its normal location and without vascular or other anatomical connections to the pancreas. It is a congenital disease and is also known as heterotopic, ac ...

, displacement of pancreatic tissue in the body with no connection, anatomical or vascular, to the pancreas *

Ectopic recombination Ectopic recombination is an atypical form of recombination in which crossing over occurs at non-homologous, rather than along homologous, loci. //This needs to be edited, as it is 1)incorrect and 2)contradicts what's written below, namely the ne ...

, the recombination between sequences (like leu2 sequences) present at different genomic locations *

Renal ectopia Ectopic kidney describes a kidney that is not located in its usual position. It results from the kidney failing to ascend from its origin in the true pelvis or from a superiorly ascended kidney located in the thorax The thorax or chest is a pa ...

occurs when both kidneys are on the same side of the body *

Ectopic testis A ectopic testis is a testicle that, although not an undescended testicle, has taken a non-standard path through the body and ended up in an unusual location. The positions of the ectopic testis may be: in the lower part of the abdomen, front of t ...

, a testis that has moved to an unusual location *

Ectopic thymus Ectopic thymus is a condition where thymus tissue is found in an abnormal location. It usually does not cause symptoms, but may leads to a mass in the neck that may compress the trachea and the esophagus. It is thought to be the result of either a ...

, where thymus tissue is found in an abnormal location *

Ectopic thyroid Thyroid dysgenesis is a cause of congenital hypothyroidism where the thyroid is missing, ectopic, or severely underdeveloped. It should not be confused with iodine deficiency, or with other forms of congenital hypothyroidism, such as thyroid dys ...

, where an entire or parts of the thyroid are located elsewhere in the body *

Ectopic tooth An ectopic tooth, also known as an impacted tooth, is a tooth that develops in an abnormal position and fails to erupt into its normal location in the oral cavity. Ectopic teeth can cause a variety of symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and inf ...

, a tooth that erupted outside the dental arch *

Ectopic ureter Ectopic ureter (or ureteral ectopia) is a medical condition where the ureter, rather than terminating at the urinary bladder, terminates at a different site. In males this site is usually the urethra, in females this is usually the urethra or vag ...

, where the ureter terminates somewhere other than the urinary bladder *

Ectopia vesicae Bladder exstrophy is a congenital anomaly that exists along the spectrum of the exstrophy-epispadias complex, and most notably involves protrusion of the urinary bladder through a defect in the abdominal wall. Its presentation is variable, often ...

, a congenital anomaly in which part of the urinary bladder is present outside the body

Examples

See also