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General Medicine Terms

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  • Sacro-iliac joint

  • Synovial joint formed between the medial surface of the ilium and the lateral aspect of the upper sacral vertebrae; a fibrous joint, comprising and surrounded by very strong ligamentous structures; major function is to transmit body weight, but also has a

  • Saline solution

  • A solution containing sodium chloride.

  • Saliva

  • Mixture of water, protein, and salts that makes food easy to swallow; begins digestion.

  • Salpingectomy

  • Surgical removal of one or both fallopian tubes.

  • Salpingo-oophorectomy

  • Surgery to remove the fallopian tubes and ovaries.

  • Sanger sequence

  • 'Plus and minus' or 'primed synthesis' method; DNA is synthesized so it is radioactively labeled and the reaction terminates specifically at the position corresponding to a given base.

  • Sarcoidosis

  • A systemic disease involving the lungs, lymph nodes, skin, liver, spleen, eyes, phalangial bones, and parotid glands, characterized by granular nodules. Its cause is not known.

  • Sarcoma

  • A type of cancer that starts in the bone or muscle.

  • Saturated fat

  • Fat that is found in foods from animal meats and skin, dairy products, and some vegetables.

  • Scapula

  • Commonly known as the shoulder blade.

  • Schizophrenia

  • The most common type of psychosis, characterized by extensive withdrawal of the individual's interest from other people and the outside world and the investment of it in his/her own self.

  • Sciatica

  • Traditionally defined as pain in the sciatic nerve, or its branches, that is caused by direct pressure or irritation.

  • Scintigraphy

  • See radionuclide scans.

  • Sclerotherapy

  • Method of stopping upper gastrointestinal bleeding. A needle is inserted through an endoscope to bring hardening agents to the place that is bleeding.

  • Scotoma

  • An area of partial or complete loss of vision surrounded by an area of normal vision.

  • Screening

  • Looking for evidence of a particular disease such as cancer in persons with no symptoms of disease. Checking for disease when there are no symptoms.

  • Sebum

  • Oily substance produced by sebaceous glands in the skin.

  • Secretin

  • Hormone made in the duodenum; causes the stomach to make pepsin, the liver to make bile, and the pancreas to make digestive juices.

  • Segmental mastectomy

  • Surgery to remove a portion of the breast.

  • Selection

  • The process of determining the relative share allotted individuals of different genotypes in the propagation of a population; the selective effect of a gene can be defined by the probability that carriers of the gene will reproduce.

  • Self-monitoring blood glucose

  • Method for persons with diabetes to find out how much glucose is in their blood.

  • Sella turcica

  • Bony structure that houses the pituitary gland.

  • Sensorineural hearing loss

  • Hearing loss caused by damage to the sensory cells and/or nerve fibers of the inner ear.

  • Sentinel Surveillance

  • A monitoring method that employs a surrogate indicator for a public health problem, allowing estimation of the magnitude of the problem in the general population.

  • Septal defect

  • A hole in the wall of the heart.

  • Septum

  • The muscle wall that divides the heart chambers.

  • Sequelae

  • Morbid conditions following as a consequence of a disease.

  • Sequence

  • See base sequence.

  • Sequence tagged site (STS)

  • Short (200 to 500 base pairs) DNA sequence that has a single occurrence in the human genome and whose location and base sequence are known. Detectable by polymerase chain reaction, STSs are useful for localizing and orienting the mapping and sequence data reported from many different laboratories and serve as landmarks on the developing physical map of the human genome. Expressed sequence tags (ESTs) are STSs derived from cDNAs.

  • Sequencing

  • Determination of the order of nucleotides (base sequences) in a DNA or RNA molecule or the order of amino acids in a protein.

  • Serum

  • A clear fluid that separates when blood clots.

  • Sesamoiditis

  • Inflammatory condition affecting the two sesamoid bones in the flexor tendon of the great (big) toe.

  • Sex chromosomes

  • The chromosomes that determine the sex of an organism. Human females have two X chromosomes; males have one X and one Y.

  • Sex determination

  • The mechanism in a given species by which sex is determined; in many species sex is determined at fertilization by the nature of the sperm that fertilizes the egg.

  • Sexually transmitted disease (STD)

  • Infection spread through sexual intercourse and other intimate sexual contact.

  • Shigellosis

  • Infection with the bacterium Shigella; usually causes a high fever, acute diarrhea, and dehydration. (See also gastroenteritis.)

  • Short gut syndrome

  • See short bowel syndrome.

  • Shotgun method

  • Cloning of DNA fragments randomly generated from a genome. See library, genomic library.

  • Shunt

  • A connector that allows blood flow between two locations.

  • Shwachman's syndrome

  • Digestive and respiratory disorder of children in which certain digestive enzymes are missing and white blood cells are few.

  • Sialorrhea

  • Drooling.

  • Side effects

  • Problems that occur when treatment affects healthy cells. Common side effects of cancer treatment are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and mouth sores.

  • Sigmoid colon

  • Lower part of the colon that empties into the rectum.

  • Sigmoidoscopy

  • A procedure in which a doctor looks inside the rectum and the lower part of the colon (sigmoid colon) through a lighted tube. The doctor may collect samples of tissue or cells for closer examination. Also called proctosigmoidoscopy.

  • Sign language

  • Language of hand shapes, facial expressions, and movements used as a form of communication.

  • Silent ischemia

  • Ischemia not accompanied by chest pain.

  • Simple mastectomy

  • Surgical removal of the breast and possibly a few of the axillary lymph nodes close to the breast.

  • Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Scan

  • An imaging technique that measures the emission of photons of a given energy from radioactive tracers introduced into the body. As with other forms of computer-assisted tomography, the technique produces a series of cross-sectional images of internal anatomy.

  • Single-gene disorder

  • Hereditary disorder caused by a mutant allele of a single gene (e.g., Duchenne muscular dystrophy, retinoblastoma, sickle cell disease). Compare polygenic disorders.

  • Sinus (PARANASAL SINUSES)

  • Air cavities within the facial bones, lined by mucous membranes similar to those in other parts of the airways.

  • Sinus node

  • The cells that produce the electrical impulses that cause the heart to contract.

  • Sinusitus

  • Inflammation of the lining membrane of any sinus, especially of one of the paranasal sinuses.

  • Sleep Apnea

  • A group of potentially lethal disorders in which breathing recurrently stops during sleep for long enough to cause measurable blood deoxygenation.

  • Slump test

  • A test for assessing the mobility of the pain-sensitive structures in the vertebral canal.

  • Small bowel enema

  • X-rays of the small intestine taken as barium liquid passes through the organ. (See also lower GI series.)

  • Small intestine

  • Organ where most digestion occurs; measures about 20 feet and includes the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum.

  • Smell

  • To perceive odor or scent through stimuli affecting the olfactory nerves.

  • Smell disorder

  • Temporary or permanent inability to perceive odors.

  • Smooth muscle

  • Muscle that performs automatic tasks, such as constricting blood vessels.

  • Soft-tissue

  • Generally, the ligaments, tendons, and muscles in the musculoskeletal system.

  • Somatic cell hybrid

  • Hybrid cell line derived from two different species; contains a complete chromosomal complement of one species and a partial chromosomal complement of the other; human/hamster hybrids grow and divide, losing human chromosomes with each generation until they finally stabilize, the hybrid cell line established is then utilized to detect the presence of genes on the remaining human chromosome.

  • Somatic cells

  • All body cells except the reproductive cells.

  • Somatic mutation

  • A mutation occurring in any cell that is not destined to become a germ cell; if the mutant cell continues to divide, the individual will come to contain a patch of tissue of genotype different from the cells of the rest of the body.

  • Somatosensory

  • Refers to sensory signals from all tissues of the body including skin, viscera, muscles, and joints.

  • Somatostatin

  • A hormone in the pancreas that helps tell the body when to make the hormones insulin, glucagon, gastrin, secretin, and renin.

  • Southern blotting

  • Transfer by absorption of DNA fragments separated in electrophoretic gels to membrane filters for detection of specific base sequences by radiolabeled complementary probes.

  • Spasm

  • A condition in which a muscle or group of muscles involuntarily contract.

  • Spasmodic dysphonia

  • Momentary disruption of the voice caused by involuntary movements of one or more muscles of the larynx (or voice box).

  • Spastic colon

  • See irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

  • Specific language impairment (SLI)

  • Difficulty with the organized-symbol-system communication in the absence of problems such as mental retardation, hearing loss, or emotional disorders.

  • Speech

  • Making definite vocal sounds that form words to express thoughts and ideas.

  • Speech processor

  • Part of a cochlear implant that converts speech sounds into electrical impulses to stimulate the auditory nerve.

  • Speech-language pathologist

  • Health professional trained to evaluate and treat people who have voice, speech, language, or swallowing disorders, including hearing impairments, that affect their ability to communicate.

  • Sperm banking

  • Freezing sperm before cancer treatment for use in the future. This procedure can allow men to father children after loss of fertility.

  • Sphincter

  • Ring-like band of muscle that opens and closes an opening in the body.

  • Sphincter of Oddi

  • Muscle between the common bile duct and pancreatic ducts.

  • Sphygmomanometer

  • The instrument used to measure blood pressure.

  • Spinal anesthetic

  • An anesthetic which is injected into the spinal canal fluid for surgery in the lower abdomen, pelvis, rectum, or other lower extremities.

  • Spinal instability

  • Increased motion between vertebra, usually resulting from an injury; pain typically feels like tingling in the neck or arms.

  • Spine

  • A column in the body consisting of 33 vertebrae.

  • Spirogram

  • Record of the amounts of air being moved in and out of the lungs.

  • Spleen

  • Organ lying between the stomach and diaphragm that stores red blood cells and filters blood.

  • Splenectomy

  • Surgical removal of the spleen.

  • Splenic flexure syndrome

  • Condition that occurs when air or gas collects in the upper parts of the colon.

  • Spondylosis

  • A condition of the spine involving a degenerative process.

  • Sputum (PHLEGM)

  • Mucous from the lungs.

  • Squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL)

  • Like cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), SIL is a term used to classify the degree of precancerous change in cells of the cervix in a condition called cervical dysplasia.

  • Stage

  • The measurement of the extent of a cancer - whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

  • Stage

  • The extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body.

  • Staging

  • An evaluation of the extent of disease that provides the basis for making treatment recommendations.

  • Steatorrhea

  • Condition in which the body cannot absorb fat.

  • Steatosis

  • See fatty liver.

  • Stenosis

  • The narrowing or constriction of a blood vessel or valve in the heart.

  • Stereopsis

  • Ability to perceive three-dimensional depth.

  • Sternum

  • The breastbone.

  • Stethoscope

  • The instrument used to listen to the heart and other sounds in the body.

  • Stirrups

  • Technique of ankle strapping using rigid tape placed on the ankle; medial to lateral adhering to the undersurface of the heel, mimicking a stirrup.

  • Stoma

  • Opening in the abdomen that is created by an operation (ostomy); must be covered at all times by a bag that collects stool.

  • Stomach

  • Main organ of digestion which lies between the esophagus and the small intestine.

  • Stool

  • The waste matter discharged in a bowel movement; feces.

  • Stool (FECES)

  • Solid wastes that pass through the rectum as bowel movements. Stools are undigested foods, bacteria, mucus, and dead cells.

  • Straight leg raise (SLR)

  • Technique for measuring sciatic nerve mobility and/or hamstring length.

  • Streptokinase

  • A clot-dissolving medication.

  • Stress

  • Mental or physical tension that results from physical, emotional, or chemical causes.

  • Stress fracture

  • Fracture caused by non-traumatic, cumulative overload on a bone; caused by a number of factors including overtraining, incorrect biomechanics, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, poor nutrition, and osteoporosis.

  • Stress incontinence

  • Involuntary leaking of urine which may be caused by coughing or straining.

  • Stress ulcer

  • Upper gastrointestinal ulcer from physical injury such as surgery, major burns, or critical head injury.

  • Striatum

  • Part of the basal ganglia; a large cluster of nerve cells, consisting of the caudate nucleus and the putamen, that controls movement, balance, and walking; the neurons of the striatum require dopamine to function.

  • Stricture (STENOSIS)

  • Abnormal narrowing of a body opening. (See also esophageal stricture and pyloric stenosis.)

  • STS

  • See sequence tagged site.

  • Subacromial joint

  • A joint made up by the humorous and a superior arch, consisting of the acromion process and the coracoid process of the scapula; joined by the coraco-acromial ligament and lined by the synovium of the subacromial bursa.

  • Subacromial space

  • Region of the shoulder that is bordered by the subacromial joint.

  • Subacute

  • A zone between acute and chronic, denoting the course of a disease.

  • Subchondral tissue

  • The smooth tissue at the ends of bones, which is covered with another type of tissue (called cartilage).

  • Substantia nigra

  • A small area of the brain containing a cluster of black-pigmented nerve cells that produce dopamine which is then transmitted to the striatum.

  • Sudden deafness

  • Loss of hearing that occurs quickly from such causes as explosion, a viral infection, or the use of some drugs.

  • Sudden death

  • Death that occurs unexpectedly or immediately after onset of symptoms.

  • Sudeck's atrophy

  • Condition characterized by severe pain, swelling, and disability; commonly seen in the foot, but may occur in other joints of the lower limb.

  • Superior vena cava

  • The large vein that returns blood to the heart from the head and arms.

  • Suprarenal glands

  • Another name for the adrenal glands.

  • Surgery

  • Operation to remove or repair a part of the body, or to find out if disease is present.

  • Surgery

  • An operation.

  • Suspensory ligament of lens

  • A series of fibers that connect the ciliary body of the eye with the lens, holding it in place.

  • Sustention tremor (POSTURAL TREMOR)

  • A tremor of a limb that increases when the limb is stretched.

  • Synapse

  • A tiny gap between the ends of nerve fibers across which nerve impulses pass from one neuron to another; at the synapse, an impulse causes the release of a neurotransmitter, which diffuses across the gap and triggers an electrical impulse in the next neur

  • Syncope

  • Light-headedness or fainting caused by insufficient blood supply to the brain.

  • Syndrome

  • A recognizable pattern or group of multiple signs, symptoms or malformations that characterize a particular condition; syndromes are thought to arise from a common origin and result from more than one developmental error during fetal growth.

  • Syndromic hearing impairment

  • Hearing loss or deafness that is inherited or passed through generations of a family.

  • Synovitis

  • Inflammation of the synovial membrane, the tissue that lines and protects the joint.

  • Synovium

  • A fibrous envelope that produces a fluid that helps to reduce friction and wear in a joint.

  • Syphillis

  • An acute and chronic disease caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum, transmitted by direct contact, usually through sexual intercourse.

  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

  • An inflammatory disease of connective tissue occurring predominantly in women (90%). It is considered to be an autoimmune disease.

  • Systemic treatment

  • Treatment that reaches cells all over the body by traveling through the bloodstream.

  • Systemic treatment (SYSTEMIC THERAPY)

  • Treatment or therapy that reaches and affects cells throughout the body.

  • Systolic blood pressure

  • The highest pressure to which blood pressure rises with the contraction of the heart.


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General Medicine Terms


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