Medical terms - Letter C (page 23) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Concatemer

Multiple copies of a DNA sequence arranged end to end in tandem. Concatenate means to link together in a chain or in a series
Concatenate

To link together in a chain or in a series. For example, the lymph nodes that appeared enlarged were concatenated, in a row like the links of a chain. The word 'concatenate' comes from the Latin 'concatenare' which was…
Conception

1. The union of the sperm and the ovum. Synonymous with fertilization.2. The onset of pregnancy, marked by implantation of the blastocyst into the endometrium.3. A basic understanding of a situation or a principle.From…
Concordance

1. The presence of any given condition such as HIV in both members of a couple.2. In genetics, the presence of a phenotype such as asthma in both members of a twin pair.3. In clinical care, agreement between physician…
Concordant

1. Showing concordance, complete agreement. A couple may be concordant for a sexually transmitted infection, with both partners having it. 2. In transplantation genetics, between closely related species. A concordant…
Concordant couple

Pair of long-term sexual partners in which both partners have a sexually transmitted infection. The CDC has guidelines for counseling concordant couples in which both the man and woman are HIV-infected
Concussion

Concussion: A traumatic injury to tissues of the body such as the brain as a result of a violent blow, shaking, or spinning. For information specifically about concussion of the brain, please also see Concussion of the…
Concussion of the brain

A traumatic injury to the brain as a result of a violent blow, shaking, or spinning. A brain concussion can cause immediate and usually temporary impairment of brain function such as of thinking, vision, equilibrium and…
Condition

The term 'condition' has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: > >An unhealthy state, such as in 'this is a progressive condition.' >A state of fitness, such as 'getting into condition.' >Something…
Condition, Sever

Inflammation of the growth plate of the calcaneus, the bone at the back of the heel. The inflammation is at the point where the Achilles tendon attaches. Sever condition occurs mainly in adolescent or older children…
Conditioning

1) Exercise and practice to build the body up for either improved normal performance, as in physical therapy, or in preparation for sports performance. 2) A method of educating involving repetitive activities to…
Conditioning, Pavlovian

Named after the Russian physiologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1848-1936) who conditioned dogs to respond in what proved to be a predictable manner. At different points along the dogs' digestive tracts, he had surgically…
Condom

Although the word 'condom' usually refers to the male condom, there is also a female condom. Both male and female condoms are barrier methods of contraception. Male condoms: The male condom is a sheath placed over the…
Condom, female

Although the word 'condom' usually conjures up the male condom, there is a female condom. The Reality Female Condom was approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 1993. It consists of a lubricated…
Condom, male

The male condom is a sheath placed over the erect penis before penetration, preventing pregnancy by blocking the passage of sperm. It is a barrier method of contraception. A condom can be used only once. Although some…
Conduction system, cardiac

The electrical conduction system that controls the heart rate. This system generates electrical impulses and conducts them throughout the muscle of the heart, stimulating the heart to contract and pump blood. Among the…
Condyloma

A wartlike growth around the anus, vulva, or glans penis. There are three major types of condylomas, each of which is sexually transmitted. These include condyloma acuminatum or genital warts, condyloma latum (a form of…
Condyloma acuminatum

See: Genital wart
Condyloma latum

A manifestation of the secondary stage of syphilis that takes the form of broad flat wartlike growths in moist creased areas, as around the anus and external genitalia
Condyloma subcutaneum

Molluscum contagiosum. Wartlike growths around the anus and genitals caused by a virus. Molluscum contagiosum is a contagious disease of the skin marked by the occurrence of soft rounded tumors of the skin caused by the…
Cone

A type of specialized light-sensitive cell (photoreceptor) in the retina of the eye that provide sharp central vision and color vision. By contrast, the rods are the retinal photoreceptors that provide side vision and…
Cone dystrophy

A disease of the cones, the specialized light-sensitive cells that act as photoreceptors in the retina of the eye, providing sharp central vision and color vision. The cone dystrophies are a form of genetic macular…
Cone snail

A fishing-eating snail (Conidae) that inhabits tropical coral reefs and produces toxins that immobilize their prey. See also: Conotoxin
Conformal radiation therapy

A procedure that uses computers to create a 3-dimensional picture of the tumor in order to target the tumor as accurately as possible and give it the highest possible dose of radiation while sparing normal tissue as…
Conformational radiation therapy

A procedure that uses computers to create a 3-dimensional picture of the tumor in order to target the tumor as accurately as possible and give it the highest possible dose of radiation while sparing normal tissue as…
Congenital

Present at birth. A condition that is congenital is one that is present at birth. There are numerous uses of 'congenital' in medicine. There are, for example, congenital abnormalities. (For more examples, see below.)…
Congenital achromatopsia,

Pertaining to the conjunctiva, the clear moist membrane that covers the inner surfaces of the eyelids and the front of eyeball.
Congenital anemia

1. Anemia at birth. 2. Synonym for Rh incompatibility
Congenital anemia and triphalangeal thumbs

See: Aase-Smith syndrome II
Congenital anemia with spinocerebellar ataxia

See: Pagon syndrome
Congenital anomaly

Something that is unusual or different at birth. A minor anomaly is defined as an unusual anatomic feature that is of no serious medical or cosmetic consequence to the patient. A minor anomaly of the feet might, for…
Congenital arthrogryposis

Nonprogressive congenital contractures that develop before birth and are evident at birth (congenital). The contractures are characterized by reduced mobility of many (multiple) joints. Congenital arthrogryposis is also…
Congenital bilateral absence of vas deferens

A condition in males when the tubes that carry sperm from the testes (the vas deferens) fail to develop normally. The testes usually develop and function normally and the men have normal sexual performance, but sperm…
Congenital brevicollis

See: Klippel-Feil sequence
Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

Failure from birth of central nervous system control over breathing while asleep. There are usually no breathing problems while awake. The involuntary (autonomic) control of respiration is impaired, but the voluntary…
Congenital cervicothoracic vertebrae synostosis

See: Klippel-Feil sequence
Congenital clasped thumb with mental retardation

See: Clasped thumbs and mental retardation
Congenital deafness

Deafness: Loss of hearing present at birth. Congenital deafness contrasts to acquired deafness which occurs after birth. The distinction between congenital and acquired deafness specifies only the time that the deafness…
Congenital deafness and retinitis pigmentosa

(Also called Usher syndrome.) A genetic disorder characterized by hearing impairment and an eye disorder called retinitis pigmentosa in which vision worsens over time. Some people with Usher syndrome also have balance…
Congenital defect

A birth defect.
Congenital heart disease

Congenital heart disease: A malformation of the heart or the large blood vessels near the heart. The term 'congenital' speaks only to time, not to causation; it means 'born with' or 'present at birth.' Congenital heart…
Congenital hemolytic jaundice

Jaundice: Known also as hereditary spherocytosis (HS), this is a genetic disorder of the red blood cell membrane clinically characterized by anemia, jaundice (yellowing) and splenomegaly (enlargement of the spleen). In…
Congenital hip dislocation

The abnormal formation of the hip joint in which the ball at the top of the thighbone (the femoral head) is not stable within the socket (the acetabulum). The ligaments of the hip joint may also be loose and stretched…
Congenital hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism: See: Cretinism.
Congenital lymphedema

A condition present at birth in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling (edema) in them. Congenital lymphedema is due to a congenital malformation (that is, a birth defect) of the…
Congenital malformation

A physical defect present in a baby at birth, irrespective of whether the defect is caused by a genetic factor or by prenatal events that are not genetic. In a malformation, the development of a structure is arrested…
Congenital neutropenia, severe (SCN)

Neutropenia, severe (SCN): Children born with this condition lack neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that is important in fighting infection). These children suffer frequent infections from bacteria which in the…
Congenital osseus-torticollis syndrome

See: Klippel-Feil sequence
Congenital ptosis of the eyelids

Drooping of the upper eyelids at birth. The lids may droop only slightly or they may cover the pupils and restrict or even block vision. Moderate or severe ptosis calls for treatment to permit normal vision development…
Congenital retraction syndrome

See: Duane syndrome