Medical terms - Letter B (page 12) | MedicalVocabulary.org

BPD

Stands for Borderline Personality Disorder, a serious mental illness characterized by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behavior. This instability often disrupts family and…
BPH

A balance disorder that results in the sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head.
BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo)

A balance disorder that results in the sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head
Brace, foot-drop

See Ankle-foot orthosis
Brace, Milwaukee

One of the two main types of braces used to treat the lateral curve of the spine in scoliosis. This brace can be worn to correct any curve in the spine. The brace can be custom made or can be made from a pre-fabricated…
Brachial artery

The artery that runs from the shoulder down to the elbow
Brachial neuritis

Inflammation of nerves in the arm causing muscle weakness and pain
Brachial palsy

See: Brachial plexus palsy
Brachial paralysis

See: Brachial plexus palsy
Brachial plexus

>Avulsion, the most severe type, in which the nerve is torn from the spine; >Rupture, in which the nerve is torn but not at the spinal attachment; >Neuroma, in which the nerve has tried to heal itself but scar tissue…
Brachial plexus palsy

Paralysis of the arm due to an injury to the brachial plexus, a network of spinal nerves that originates in the back of the neck, extends through the axilla (armpit), and gives rise to nerves to the upper limb. The…
Brachial plexus paralysis

See: Brachial plexus palsy
Brachial vein

A vein that accompanies the brachial artery between the shoulder and the elbow. The route of the brachial artery is from the shoulder down to the elbow whereas that of the brachial vein is in the reverse direction --…
Brachmann-de Lange syndrome

See: de Lange syndrome
Brachy-

A short head, one that is short in diameter from front to back. Brachycephaly is a frequent feature of syndromes of congenital malformation (birth defect complexes) including Down syndrome (trisomy 21). The word…
Brachycephaly

A short head, one that is short in diameter from front to back. Brachycephaly is a frequent feature of syndromes of congenital malformation (birth defect complexes) including Down syndrome (trisomy 21). The word…
Brachydactyly

Short, stubby fingers and toes. Brachydactyly is a frequent feature of syndromes of congenital malformation (constellations of birth defects) including Down syndrome (trisomy 21). Brachydactyly or, as it sometimes…
Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy: Radiation treatment given by placing radioactive material directly in or near the target, which is often a tumor. Brachytherapy for prostate cancer, for example, is also called interstitial radiation…
Brachytherapy, coronary artery

A slow heart rate, usually defined as less than 60 beats per minute. The word bradycardia is logically derived from two Greek roots: bradys, slow + cardia, heart = slow heart.
Bradycardia

A slow heart rate, usually defined as less than 60 beats per minute. The word bradycardia is logically derived from two Greek roots: bradys, slow + cardia, heart = slow heart.
Bradykinesia

Bradykinesia: Slowed ability to start and continue movements, and impaired ability to adjust the body's position. Can be a symptom of neurological disorders, particularly Parkinson's disease, or a side effect of…
Bradykinetic

Pertaining to slowed ability to start and continue movements, and impaired ability to adjust the body's position. Bradykinesia can be a symptom of neurological disorders, particularly Parkinson's disease, or a side…
Bradyphrenia

Slowed thought processes. Can be a side effect of certain psychiatric medications
Bradypnea

(Pronounced brad-ip-nea.) Abnormally slow breathing. A respiratory rate that is too slow. The normal rate of respirations (breaths per minute) depends on a number of factors, including the age of the individual and the…
Braille system

A system of raised-dot writing devised by Louis Braille (1809-1852) for the blind in which each letter is represented as a raised pattern that can be read by touching with the fingers. The System: Each braille character…
Brain

That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves…
Brain aneurysm

Brain aneurysm: A brain aneurysm is a small outpouching (an aneurysm) that looks like a berry and classically occurs at the point at which a cerebral artery departs from the circular artery (the circle of Willis) at the…
Brain anthrax

Anthrax infection of the central nervous system (the spinal cord and brain) and meninges (the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. NTER> These microscopic findings come from a fatal case of anthrax that…
Brain biopsy

Biopsy of the brain. Removal of a small piece of tissue from the brain for diagnostic purposes. One way the procedure may be done is by stereotactic needle biopsy in which the spot to be biopsied is located…
Brain cancer

Brain cancer: Cancer of the central information processing center of the body. Tumors in the brain can be malignant or benign, and can occur at any age. Only malignant tumors are cancerous. Primary brain tumors cancer…
Brain edema

See: Cerebral edema
Brain freeze

See: Ice cream headache
Brain malleability

See Neuroplasticity
Brain plasticity

See Neuroplasticity
Brain stem

The stemlike part of the brain that is connected to the spinal cord. Or conversely, the extension of the spinal cord up into the brain. The brain stem is small but important. It manages messages going between the brain…
Brain stem glioma

A malignant tumor that arises in the brain stem, the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord. The brain stem controls many vital functions. Tumors in this area generally cannot be removed. They are often…
Brain swelling

See: Cerebral edema
Brain tumor

El ODYvAlign=top bgColor=#cccccc colSpan=2> vAlign=top width='100%' bgColor=#ffffff>Our Brain tumor Main Article provides a comprehensive look at the who, what, when and how of Brain tumor Brain tumor: A benign or…
Brain ventricle

>Lateral ventricles: The lateral ventricles are in the cerebral hemispheres. Each lateral ventricle consists of a triangular central body and four horns. The lateral ventricles communicate with the third ventricle…
Brain, fornix of the

An arching fibrous band in the brain connecting the two lobes of the cerebrum. (The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and consists of two hemispheres separated by a deep longitudinal fissure). Each fornix --…
Brain, water on the

See: Water on the brain
Brainerd diarrhea

A syndrome characterized by the acute onset of watery nonbloody diarrhea (3 or more loose stools per day), lasting 4 weeks or more, and resolving spontaneously. The disease is of unknown causation and appears in…
Brainstem

The lowest part of the brain which merges with the spinal cord and provides the major route by which the upper realms of the brain send information to, and receives information from, the spinal cord and peripheral…
Brainstem auditory evoked potentials

See: ABR test
Brainstem implant

A type of hearing aid that bypasses the cochlea in the middle ear and the auditory nerve and is implanted in the brainstem. This type of implant helps individuals who cannot benefit from a cochlear implant because the…
Branched-chain ketoaciduria

See: Maple syrup urine disease
Branchial cleft cyst

Also called a branchial cyst, this is a cavity that is a remnant from embryologic development present at birth in one side of the neck just in front of the large angulated muscle on either side (the sternocleidomastoid…
Branchial cyst

Branchial cyst: Also called a branchial cleft cyst, this is a cavity that is a remnant from embryologic development present at birth in one side of the neck just in front of the large angulated muscle on either side…
Braxton Hicks contractions

Irregular contractions of the womb (the uterus) occurring towards the middle of pregnancy in the first pregnancy and, earlier and more intensely, in subsequent pregnancies. These contractions tend to occur during…
Brazelton newborn test

A widely used test of the newborn baby as to their neurologic status and developmental progress. The Brazelton newborn test is formally called the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). However, the NBAS which was…