Medical terms - Letter A | MedicalVocabulary.org

A (adenine)

In genetics, A stands for adenine, one member of the A-T (adenine-thymine) base pair in DNA. The other base pair in DNA is G-C (guanine-cytosine). Each base pair forms a 'rung of the DNA ladder.' A DNA nucleotide is…
A-

Prefix very much employed in medicine and all of the health sciences, indicating 'not, without, -less' as, for example, in alexia (not read), aphagia (not eat), aphonia (not voice, voiceless). The 'a-' usually becomes…
A-

See: A-
A-T

Ataxia-telangiectasia
A. baumannii

Acinetobacter baumannii. See: Acinetobacter
A.c.

Abbreviation on a prescription meaning before meals; from the Latin 'ante cibum', before meals. This is one of a number of hallowed abbreviations of Latin terms that have traditionally been used in writing…
A1C

A test that measures how much glucose has been sticking during the past 3-4 months to hemoglobin, the substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to the cells of the body. The A1C test is important in diabetes…
AAA

Abdominal aortic aneurysm
AAAS

Spoken of as the 'triple-AS', the American Association for the Advancement of Science is an organization concerned not only with the biomedical sciences but with all of the sciences. The AAAS publishes the weekly…
AAD

American Association of Dermatology, one of many important professional societies in the health arena. The AMA (the American Medical Association) is a better known example in the US. Only a small selection of the many…
AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians)

>To provide responsible advocacy for and education of patients and the public in all health-related matters; >To preserve and promote quality cost-effective health care; >To promote the science and art of family…
AAMC (Ass Am Medical Colleges)

The American Association of Medical Colleges, a nonprofit association of the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; more than 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems…
AANAT

The synbol for the enzyme arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase and for the gene that encodes it. AANAT is present in animals, bacteria and yeast but in no other living organisms. AANAT belongs to the large superfamily of…
AAO

1. Alert and oriented.2. American Association of Ophthalmology, a professional organization.3. American Academy of Otolaryngology, a professional organization.4. American Association of Orthodontists, a professional…
AAOS (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

The professional organization of American orthopaedists. Literally, the practice of child straightening, orthopaedics is the branch of surgery that is broadly concerned with the skeletal system (bones)
AAP

The American Academy of Pediatrics
Aarskog syndrome

See: Aarskog-Scott syndrome
Aarskog-Scott syndrome

A syndrome of wide spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism), front-facing (anteverted) nostrils, a broad upper lip, a malformed ('saddle-bag') scrotum, and laxity of the ligaments resulting in bending back of the knees (genu…
Aase-Smith syndrome I

A syndrome of congenital malformations (birth defects) characterized by hydrocephalus, cleft palate, and severe arthrogryposis (joint contractures). Other anomalies may include deformed ears, ptosis (drooping) of the…
Aase-Smith syndrome II

A genetic disorder that may be detected during early infancy and is characterized by the presence of three bones (phalanges) within the thumbs (triphalangeal thumbs) rather than the normal two and abnormally reduced…
Ab ovo

Latin expression for 'from the beginning.' Ab ovo literally means 'from the egg.
Ab-

Prefix meaning 'from, away from, off' as in abduction (movement of a limb away from the midline of the body), ablate (carry or cut away), abnormal (away from normal), absorb (to suck away). Ab in Latin means 'from.'…
Abate

To lessen or decrease. After a boil is lanced, the pus can drain and the pain and tenderness abate. From the French abbatre, to beat down
Abatement

A diminution, decrease or easing. In medicine there may be abatement of pain or any other symptom or sign. In the environment there may abatement in the degree of pollution. See also: Abate
Abbreviations, prescription

A prescription, as is well known, is a physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or device for a patient. What may be less well known is that a prescription has several parts: > >The…
ABCD rating

A staging system for prostate cancer. See the Jewett staging system
Abdomen

The belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis. The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm, the powerful muscle spanning the body cavity…
Abdomen, acute

The abrupt (acute) onset of abdominal pain. A potential medical emergency, an acute abdomen may reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix (being inflamed = appendicitis), the…
Abdominal

Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of the structures between the chest and the pelvis. The abdomen is separated anatomically from the chest by the diaphragm, the powerful muscle…
Abdominal aneurysm

An aneurysm situated within the abdomen (belly). An aneurysm is a localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, vein, or the heart. At the area of an aneurysm, there is typically a bulge and the wall is weakened and may…
Abdominal aorta

The abdominal aorta is the final section of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. It is a continuation of the thoracic aorta. It begins at the diaphragm, and runs down to the point where it ends (by splitting in…
Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Our Abdominal aortic aneurysm Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Abdominal aortic aneurysm Abdominal aortic aneurysm: A ballooning or widening of the main artery (the aorta) as…
Abdominal cavity

The cavity within the abdomen, the space between the abdominal wall and the spine. The abdominal cavity is hardly an empty space. It contains a number of crucial organs including the lower part of the esophagus, the…
Abdominal guarding

Tensing of the abdominal wall muscles to guard inflamed organs within the abdomen from the pain of pressure upon them. The tensing is detected when the abdomen wall is pressed. Guarding is a characteristic finding in…
Abdominal hysterectomy

Surgical removal of the uterus (a hysterectomy) done through an incision made in the abdominal wall. As opposed to a vaginal hysterectomy in which the incision is made within the vagina
Abdominal muscle deficiency syndrome

Partial or complete absence of the abdominal muscles so that the outlines of the intestines are visible through the thin, lax, protruding abdominal wall. Also called the 'prune belly syndrome.' The full syndrome…
Abdominal muscles

A large group of muscles in the front of the abdomen that assists in the regular breathing movement and supports the muscles of the spine while lifting and keeping abdominal organs such as the intestines in place…
Abdominal pain

Our Abdominal pain Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Abdominal pain Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly (the abdomen). Abdominal pain can come from conditions affecting a variety…
Abducent nerve

A small motor nerve that has one task: to supply a muscle called the lateral rectus muscle that moves the eye outward. Paralysis of the abducent nerve causes inward turning of the eye (internal strabismus) leading to…
Abduction

In medicine, the movement of a limb away from the midline of the body. Abduction of both legs spreads the legs. The opposite of abduction is adduction. Adduction of the legs brings them together. From the Latin 'ab-'…
Abductor muscle

Any muscle used to pull a body part away from the midline of the body. For example, the abductor muscles of the legs spread the legs away from the midline and away from one another. The word 'abductor' comes from the…
Abductor spasmodic dysphonia

A disorder in which sudden muscle spasms cause the vocal folds (or vocal cords) to stay open. See: spasmodic dysphonia
Aberration

(1) A deviation or irregularity. For example, a chromosome aberration is a deviation from the normal chromosome number or the normal chromosome structure. In this sense, aberration is also synonymous with deflection…
ABG (arterial blood gas)

The sampling of the blood levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the arteries, as opposed to the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in venous blood. Typically, the acidity, or pH, of the blood is measured…
Abiological

See: Abiotic
Abiotic

1. Not associated with living organisms.2. Anything in the environment incapable of life, such as the soil or weather.3. Incompatible with life or antagonist to it.Also called abiological
Abiotrophy

Loss of function or degeneration for reasons unknown. For example, cerebellar abiotrophy may affect coordination while cone-rod abiotrophy may cause blindness at birth
Ablate

To remove. A tumor may be ablated. To ablate the thyroid gland is to remove it. The word 'ablation' came from the Latin 'ablatum' meaning to carry away. In 1671 the ablation (removal) of a disease was a matter for…
Ablation

Removal or excision. Ablation is usually carried out surgically. For example, surgical removal of the thyroid gland (a total thyroidectomy) is ablation of the thyroid. The word ablation comes from the Latin ablatum…
Ablation, endometrial

Removal of the lining of the womb. Removing the uterine lining decreases menstrual flow or stops it completely. Ablation means removal or excision, usually surgically. The word comes from the Latin ablatum meaning to…