Medical terms - Letter A (page 27) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Arthritis, Reiter

The combination of inflammation of the joints (arthritis), eyes (conjunctivitis), and GU (genitourinary) &/or GI (gastrointestinal) systems
Arthritis, rheumatoid

Autoimmune disease that is characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints and can cause inflammation of tissues in other areas of the body (such as the lungs, heart, and eyes)
Arthritis, spondylitis

A form of arthritis causing chronic inflammation of the spine
Arthritis, systemic-onset chronic rheumatoid

See: Arthritis, systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid (Still's disease)
Arthritis, systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid

A form of joint disease in children whose systemic signs and symptoms include high intermittent fever, a salmon-colored skin rash, swollen lymph glands, enlargement of the liver and spleen, inflammation of the lungs…
Arthro-

A prefix meaning joint, as in arthropathy and arthroscopic. Before a vowel, it becomes arthr-, as in arthralgia and arthritis. From the Greek word arthron for joint. Ultimately from an Indo-European root meaning to join…
Arthrocentesis

Joint aspiration, a procedure whereby a sterile needle and syringe are used to drain fluid from a joint. This is usually done as an office procedure or at the bedside in the hospital. For an arthrocentesis, the skin…
Arthrogryposis

Joint contractures that develop before birth (prenatally) and are evident at birth (congenitally). A newborn with arthrogryposis lacks the normal range of motion in one or more joints. In normal embryonic development…
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC)

A disorder that develops before birth (prenatal), is present at birth (congenital), and is characterized by reduced mobility of many (multiple) joints. In AMC the range of motion of the joints in the arms and legs is…
Arthropathy

Joint disease. The term arthropathy does not specify the type of joint disease. It might be osteoarthropathy or it might be infectious joint disease or it might another kind of joint disease. From arthro- (from the…
Arthroscope

A thin flexible fiberoptic scope which is introduced into a joint space through a small incision in order to carry out diagnostic and treatment procedures within the joint. An arthroscope is about the diameter of a…
Arthroscopic

Refers to a surgical technique whereby a doctor inserts a tube-like instrument into a joint to inspect, diagnose and repair tissues. It is most commonly performed in patients with diseases of the knees or shoulders. The…
Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy: A surgical technique whereby a tube-like instrument is inserted into a joint to inspect, diagnose and repair tissues. Arthroscopy is most commonly performed in patients with diseases of the knees or…
Arthrosis

>Gliding -- one bony surface glides on another without angular or rotatory movement; >Angular -- occurs only between long bones, increasing or decreasing the angle between the bones; >Circumduction -- occurs in joints…
Artic health

Health in the vast geographic region widely surrounding the North Pole, an area that encompasses all or portions of Alaska, Canada, Greenland/Denmark/Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The…
Articulation

1. In speech, the production and use of speech sounds.2. In dentistry, the contact of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth.3. In anatomy, a joint An area where two bones are attached for the purpose of motion of body…
Articulation disorder

The inability to correctly produce speech sounds (phonemes) because of the imprecise placement, timing, pressure, speed, or flow of movement of the lips, tongue, or throat. With an articulation disorder, there is…
Articulations of the body, principal

The principal articulations (joints) of the human body. They include the following: > >Acromioclavicular >Ankle (tibia-fibula and talus) >Atlas and axis >Atlas and occipital >Calcaneocuboid >Carpometacarpal >Elbow…
Artificial abortion

An abortion that is brought about intentionally. Also called an induced or therapeutic abortion. As opposed to a spontaneous abortion (a miscarriage)
Artificial heart

A manmade heart. An artificial heart was temporarily implanted in 1969 by Denton Cooley in Houston, Texas. Complete replacement of the heart by an artificial heart was done in 1982 by William DeVries at Salt Lake City…
Artificial insemination

A procedure in which a fine catheter (tube) is inserted through the cervix (the natural opening of the uterus) into the uterus (the womb) to deposit a sperm sample directly into the uterus. The purpose of this…
Artificial insemination by donor (AID)

A procedure in which a fine catheter (tube) is inserted through the cervix (the natural opening of the uterus) into the uterus (the womb) to deposit a sperm sample from a donor other than the woman's mate directly into…
Artificial insemination by husband (AIH)

A procedure in which a fine catheter (tube) is inserted through the cervix (the natural opening of the uterus) into the uterus (the womb) to deposit a sperm sample from the woman's mate directly into the uterus. The…
Artificial knee

A replacement for the human knee. An artificial knee typically has a metal shell on the end of the thigh bone (the femur), a metal and plastic trough on the shin bone (the tibia), and sometimes a plastic button in the…
Artificial nose

See: Nasal prosthesis
Artificial pacemaker

A device that uses electrical impulses to regulate the heart rhythm or to reproduce that rhythm. An internal pacemaker is one in which the electrodes into the heart, the electronic circuitry and the power supply are…
Artificial pancreas

A machine that constantly measures the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood and, in response to an elevated level of glucose, releases an appropriate amount of insulin to lower the level into the normal range. In this…
Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase

See:AANAT
ASA (drug caution code)

Abbreviation on a medication that indicates it contains acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin). This special caution code is intended to be a warning for patients with specific medical conditions. If you see it or another…
ASAT

Anemia, sideroblastic, and spinocerebellar ataxia. See:href='/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=34082'>Pagon syndrome
Asbestos

Asbestos: A natural material made up of tiny fibers which can lodge in the lungs and lead to cancer or scarring of the lungs. The cancer may be lung cancer or (mesothelioma), which is a cancer of the lining of the lungs…
Asbestosis

A condition featuring scarring of the lungs caused by inhaled asbestos fibers. Asbestosis is irreversible. It tends to lead to COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), a progressive disorder that can be disabling…
Ascariasis

Infection with Ascaris lubricoides, the intestinal roundworm, the most common worm infection in humans. Ascaris eggs are found in the soil. Infection occurs when a person accidently ingests (swallows) infective ascaris…
Ascaris

The intestinal roundworm, a worm that lives in the small intestine. Infection with ascaris is the most common worm infection in humans. It is termed ascariasis. Ascaris eggs are found in the soil. Infection occurs when…
Ascending aorta

The ascending aorta is the first section of the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The ascending aorta starts from the left ventricle of the heart and extends to the arch (the bend) of the aorta. The right and left…
Ascending pathway

A nerve pathway that goes upward from the spinal cord toward the brain carrying sensory information from the body to the brain. In contrast, descending pathways are nerve pathways that go down the spinal cord and allow…
Ascites

Abnormal buildup of fluid in the abdomen. Ascites can occur as a result of a number of conditions, including severe liver disease and the presence of malignant cells within the abdomen
Asclepius

One of the earliest Greek gods to specialize in healing. He was known to the Romans as Aesculapius. Healers and those in need of healing invoked Asclepius' name in prayer and healing ceremonies in temples and at home. A…
Ascorbic acid

Vitamin C, an essential nutrient found mainly in fruits and vegetables. The body requires it to form and maintain bones, blood vessels, and skin. Like other vitamins, ascorbic acid is an organic compound. An organic…
Ascus

An elongated spore case containing the spores of certain fungi including yeast
ASCUS

An acronym for Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance. This term is used in the Bethesda System for reporting Pap smear findings and indicates that some flat (squamous) cells look unusual and may or may…
ASD

Acronym for atrial septal defect.
Aseptic

The absence of microorganisms. By contrast, something that just discourages the growth of microorganisms is antiseptic.
Aseptic bursitis

Inflammation of a bursa that is not caused by infection. A bursa is a closed fluid-filled sac that functions as a gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues of the body. When the bursa becomes inflamed, the…
Aseptic necrosis

Aseptic necrosis: Condition in which poor blood supply to an area of bone leads to bone death. Also called avascular necrosis and osteonecrosis.
Asexual

1. Without sexual desire or interest. Someone with seemingly no sexual drive. 2. Referring to reproduction without the combination of genetic material with another individual. Yeast can reproduce asexually by budding
Asian cholera

A devastating and sometimes lethal disease with intense vomiting and profuse watery diarrhea was discovered in 1883 to be due to infection with the bacteria Vibrio cholerae, a discovery made by the renowned German…
Asian flu

A pandemic of influenza A (H2N2) in 1957-58. First identified in China in late February 1957, the Asian flu spread to the United States by June 1957 where it caused about 70,000 deaths. Also known as Asian influenza…
Asian influenza

See: Asian flu
ASL

American Sign Language