English dictionary of medical terms (01)
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- No:1 - abdomen
-
(L., possibly from abdere to hide) that portion of the body which
lies between the thorax and the pelvis; called also belly and
venter. It contains a cavity (abdominal cavity) separated by the
diaphragm from the thoracic cavity, above and by the plane of the
pelvic inlet from the pelvic cavity below, and lined with a serous
membrane, the peritoneum. This cavity contains the abdominal
viscera and is enclosed by a wall (abdominal wall or parietes)
formed by the abdominal muscles, vertebral column, and the ilia.
It is divided into nine regions by four imaginary lines projected
onto the anterior wall, of which two pass horizontally around the
body (the upper at the level of the cartilages of the ninth ribs,
the lower at the tops of the crests of the ilia), and two extend
vertically on each side of the body from the cartilage of the
eighth rib to the centre of the inguinal ligament, as in A below.
The regions are : three upper - right hypochondriac, epigastric,
left hypochondriac; three middle - right lateral, umbilical, left
lateral; and three lower - right inguinal, pubic, left inguinal).
- No:2 - abdominal
-
(L. abdominalis) pertaining to the abdomen.
- No:3 - aberrant
-
(L. aberrans, ab from + errare to wander) wandering or deviating
from the usual or normal course.
- No:4 - abnormal
-
(ab- + L. norma rule) not normal; contrary to the usual structure,
position, behaviour, or rule.
- No:5 - abortion
-
(L. abortio) 1. the premature expulsion from the uterus of the
products of conception - of the embryo, or of a nonviable fetus.
The four classic symptoms, usually present in each type of
abortion, are uterine contractions, uterine haemorrhage, softening
and dilatation of the cervix, and presentation or expulsion of all
or part of the products of conception. 2. premature stoppage of a
natural or a pathological process.
- No:6 - abrasion
-
(L. abrasio) 1. the wearing away of a substance or structure (such
as the skin or the teeth) through some unusual or abnormal
mechanical process. 2. an area of body surface denuded of skin or
mucous membrane by some unusual or abnormal mechanical process.
- No:7 - abrupt
-
sudden and unexpected.
- No:8 - abscess
-
(L. abscessus, from ab away + cedere to go) a localized collection
of pus caused by suppuration buried in tissues, organs, or confined
spaces.
- No:9 - absence
-
see petit mal epilepsy, under epilepsy.
- No:10 - absorption
-
(L. absorptio) 1. the uptake of substances into or across tissues,
e.g., skin, intestine, and kidney tubules. 2. in psychology,
devotion of thought to one object or activity, with inattention to
others. 3. in radiology, the taking up of energy by matter with
which the radiation interacts.
- No:11 - abstinence
-
a refraining from the use of or indulgence in food, stimulants, or
sexual intercourse.
- No:12 - accidental
-
happening unexpectedly or by chance.
- No:13 - accommodation
- (L. accommodare to fit to) adjustment, especially that of the eye
for various distances.
- No:14 - accumulation
-
the action or process of accumulating; state of being or having
accumulated; a collecting together.
- No:15 - acidity
- L. aciditas) the quality of being acid or sour; containing acid
(hydrogen ions).
- No:16 - acidosis
-
a pathologic condition resulting from accumulation of acid or
depletion of the alkaline reserve (bicarbonate content) in the
blood and body tissues, and characterized by an increase in
hydrogen ion concentration.
- No:17 - acne
-
(possibly a corruption of Greek akm a point or of achn chaff) an
inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit, the specific type
usually being indicated by a modifying term; frequently used alone
to designate common acne, or acne vulgaris.
- No:18 - acrocyanosis
-
(acro- + cyanosis) a condition marked by symmetrical cyanosis of
the extremities, with persistent, uneven, mottled blue or red
discoloration of the skin of the digits, wrists, and ankles and
with profuse sweating and coldness of the digits. Called also
Raynaud's sign.
- No:19 - ACTH
-
adrenocorticotropic hormone.
- No:20 - activate
-
1.to render activity. 2.to become active. 3.to convert (a compound,
as a provitamin or enzyme) into an active form or different
compound, esp. into one that has a particular biological action
(e.g. ergosterol by irradiation to vitamin D2 for use in treating
rickets).
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