What is the term for the condition where there is tissue death?

The term that specifically refers to tissue death is necrosis. Necrosis occurs when cells in a specific area of the body die due to factors such as lack of blood flow, infection, or toxic exposure. It can manifest in different forms depending on the underlying cause, leading to various clinical conditions.

Gangrene, while related to tissue death, specifically describes a type of necrosis that is often associated with severe infection and can involve the decay of tissue, usually in extremities. This condition is a result of the necrotic process but does not encompass all instances of tissue death.

Atrophy refers to a decrease in the size of cells or tissues, often due to disuse, aging, or disease, rather than outright death.

Infarction denotes the obstruction of the blood supply to a tissue, leading to necrosis; however, it is a more specific term describing the cause of tissue death rather than the process itself.

Therefore, necrosis is the most accurate term for describing the condition where there is tissue death.