Medical terms - Letter D (page 17) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Dupuytren contracture

1777-1835) The leading French surgeon of the early part of the 19th century. Dupuytren reported the condition in 1832 that now bears his name: Dupuytren contracture. He was not the first to describe the condition but he…
Dupuytren, Guillaume

(1777-1835) The leading French surgeon of the early part of the 19th century. Dupuytren reported the condition in 1832 that now bears his name: Dupuytren contracture. He was not the first to describe the condition but…
Dura

The outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes (meninges) covering the brain and the spinal cord. Dura is short for dura mater (from the Latin for hard mother). Also called the pachymeninx (singular)…
Dura mater

Literally, hard mother (in Latin). The outermost, toughest, and most fibrous of the three membranes (meninges) covering the brain and the spinal cord. See: Dura
Durable power of attorney

This is a type of advance medical directive in which legal documents provide the power of attorney to another person in the case of an incapacitating medical condition. The durable power of attorney allows another…
Dural

Pertaining to the dura
Dural sac

The membranous sac that encases the spinal cord within the bony structure of the vertebral column. Dural refers to the dura, the name of the membrane around the spinal cord (and brain, too)
Dursban

An insecticide that has adverse neurological effects. Known alternatively as chlorpyrifos. Dursban causes weakness, vomiting, diarrhea and other ill effects in children. It can also cause blurred vision and memory loss…
Dust mite

A tiny microscopic organism that is the primary cause of allergies related to house dust. The term 'dust mite allergy' is a misnomer because it is the excretion of these mites to which people are allergic. Dust mites…
Dutch-Kentucky syndrome

See: Hecht syndrome
DV

Blood clotting in the veins of the inner thigh or leg. In air travel, DVT is the "economy-class syndrome." Even in young, health travelers the long stretches immobilized in cramped seats in cabins with very low humidity…
DVT (deep vein thrombosis)

Blood clotting in the veins of the inner thigh or leg. In air travel, DVT is the 'economy-class syndrome.' Even in young, health travelers the long stretches immobilized in cramped seats in cabins with very low humidity…
Dwarf

Someone with dwarfism, which is now more correctly called short stature. People with dwarfism (short stature) also consider themselves little people, as in the Little People of America
Dwarfism

Abnormally short stature. Some forms are hereditary. The Little People of America (LPA) define dwarfism as an adult height of 148 cm (4 feet 10 inches) or less. Also known as nanism. Dwarfism is now more correctly…
Dwarfism, achondroplastic

A genetic disorder of bone growth, achondroplasia is the most common cause of short stature with disproportionately short limbs -- dwarfism with short arms and legs. There is a typically large head with prominence of…
Dwarfism, pituitary

Dwarfism caused by a lack of growth hormone, usually due to malfunction of the pituitary gland. Children with growth hormone deficiency may grow normally for the first two to three years of life but they then fall…
Dwarfism, thanatophoric

A form of short-limbed (micromelic) dwarfism that usually causes death within the first few hours after birth. Thanatophoric dysplasia is due to a lethal mutation (change) in the same gene that produces achondroplasia…
Dx

Abbreviation standing for diagnosis, the determination of the nature of a disease. Dx may alternatively be written DX or dx. See also Diff dx.
DX

Medical abbreviation for diagnosis. See: dx
DXA

Dual X-ray absorptometry. A technique for scanning bone and measuring bone mineral density (BMD). A DXA scanner is a large machine that produces 2 X-ray beams, each with different energy levels. One beam is high energy…
DXA bone scan

See: DXA
DXM

Dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant, sometimes misused as a recreational drug
Dyad

The word 'dyad' comes from the Greek 'dyas' meaning the number two. In psychology, a dyad refers to a pair of persons in an interactional situation. For example, a patient and therapist, a woman and her husband, a girl…
Dynacin

Brand name for minocycline
Dynein

A family of microtubule motor proteins that derive energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphatase) activity. The dyneins also form arms on the outer tubules of cilia and flagella. The dynein motor, a cellular complex…
DYS

Symbol for familial dysautonomia. See: Familial dysautonomia.
Dys-

Speech that is characteristically slurred, slow, and difficult to produce (difficult to understand). The person with dysarthria may also have problems controlling the pitch, loudness, rhythm, and voice qualities of…
Dysarthria

Speech that is characteristically slurred, slow, and difficult to produce (difficult to understand). The person with dysarthria may also have problems controlling the pitch, loudness, rhythm, and voice qualities of…
Dyscalculia

A specific developmental disability affecting a person's ability to conceptualize and perform mathematics. Mild cases can often be compensated for with use of a calculator, but those with severe dyscalculia will need…
Dyscrasia

Any disease condition, especially in hematology, as in 'blood dyscrasias.' The term 'dyscrasia' was borrowed from the Greek meaning 'a bad mixture' referring to imbalance between the four humors which caused disease
Dysentery

Inflammation of the intestine, often with pain, diarrhea, bloody stools, etc. It is usually caused by infestation of the bowel by an ameba. Dysentery can be fatal, usually due to severe dehydration. Treatment includes…
Dysentery, amebic

Dysentery (inflammation of the intestine) with ulcers in the colon due to infection with an ameba (Entamoeba histolytica). This single-celled parasite is transmitted to humans via contaminated water and food. Amebic…
Dysfunction

>Constitutional hepatic dysfunction, (familial nonhemolytic jaundice), >Dental dysfunction (abnormal functioning of dental structures), >Minimal brain dysfunction (attention deficit disorder), >Placental dysfunction…
Dysfunction, erectile

A consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse. Also commonly known as 'impotence.' Medically, the term 'erectile dysfunction' is used to differentiate impotence from other problems that…
Dysfunction, orgasmic

See: Anorgasmia
Dysgraphia

A specific developmental disability that affects the person's ability to write. Problems may include fine-motor muscle control of the hands and/or processing difficulties. Sometimes occupational therapy is helpful. Most…
Dyshidrotic eczema

Irritation of the skin on the palms of hands and soles of the feet characterized by clear, deep blisters that itch and burn
Dyskeratosis congenita

An inherited cause of bone-marrow failure, dyskeratosis congenita is a syndrome characterized by abnormal excess skin pigmentation, abnormal or absent nails, and mucosal leukoplakia (white premalignant areas on the lips…
Dyskinesia

Difficulty or distortion in performing voluntary movements, as in tic, chorea, spasm, or myoclonus. The term dyskinesia may be used in relation to Parkinson's disease and other extrapyramidal disorders. Dyskinesia can…
Dyslexia

Dyslexia: A specific reading disability due to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic symbols. Dyslexia is a learning disability that alters the way the brain processes written material. Two commonly held beliefs…
Dyslipidemia

A disorder of lipoprotein metabolism, including lipoprotein overproduction or deficiency. Dyslipidemias may be manifested by elevation of the total cholesterol, the 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and…
Dysmetabolic syndrome X

A constellation of metabolic abnormalities in serum or plasma insulin/glucose level ratios, lipids (triglycerides, LDL cholesterol subtypes and/or HDL cholesterol), uric acid levels, coagulation factor imbalances and…
Dysmorphic feature

A body characteristic that is abnormally formed. A malformed ear, for example, is a dysmorphic feature. Dysmorphology is a term coined by Dr. David W. Smith in the 1960's to describe the study of human congenital…
Dysmorphology

Dysmorphology is a term coined by Dr. David W. Smith in the 1960's to describe the study of human congenital malformations (birth defects), particularly those affecting the morphology (the anatomy) of the individual…
Dysmorphophobia

Excessive dislike of a part of ones body. See: Body dysmorphic disorder
Dysmotility syndrome

A vague, descriptive term used to describe diseases of the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines) in which the muscles do not work normally (hence the term dysmotility)…
Dysostosis, cleidocranial

>Absent or incompletely formed collar bones (the 'cleido-' part refers to the clavicles, the collar bones) The child with this disorder can bring its shoulders together or nearly so; and >Typical cranial and facial…
Dyspareunia

The medical term for pain during sexual intercourse.
Dyspepsia

Dyspepsia: Dyspepsia refers to a condition (disease) in which there are upper abdominal symptoms which may include upper abdominal pain, bloating (a feeling of abdominal fullness without objective abdominal distention)…
Dyspeptic

Pertaining to dyspepsia, a term that is probably more often encountered today in advertising than in medicine. 'Dyspepsia' refers to nondescript, nonspecific upper abdominal symptoms which may include discomfort…