Medical terms - Letter D (page 5) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Dermatoglyphics

The study of the patterns of ridges on the skin of the fingers, palms, toes, and soles. Dermatoglyphics are of interest in anthropology, criminology, and medicine, including dysmorphology (the study of congenital…
Dermatographism

A common form of hives that follows the repeated stroking, rubbing or scratching of the skin, or when tight-fitting clothes rub the skin. Dermatographism occurs in about 5% of the population
Dermatologic

Having to do with the skin
Dermatologist

A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems.
Dermatology

1. The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the skin, hair, nails, oral cavity and genitals. 2. Sometimes also, cosmetic care and enhancement.Dermatology is literally…
Dermatome

(1) A localized area of skin that is has its sensation via a single nerve from a single nerve root of the spinal cord. Shingles (herpes zoster) typically affects one or several isolated dermatomes. (2) A dermatome is…
Dermatomyositis

A chronic inflammatory disease of skin and muscle which is associated with patches of slightly raised reddish or scaly rash. The rash can be on the bridge of the nose, around the eyes, or on sun-exposed areas of the…
Dermatopathy

Any disease of the skin. Synonymous with dermopathy
Dermatophytic onychomycosis

Ringworm of the nail, the most common fungus infection of the nails (onychomycosis). Onychomycosis makes the nails look white and opaque, thickened, and brittle. Older women (perhaps because estrogen deficiency may…
Dermatoscopy

A noninvasive diagnostic technique for the early diagnosis of melanoma and the evaluation of other pigmented and non-pigmented lesions on the skin that are not as well seen with the unaided eye. Also known as surface…
Dermicidin

A potent anti-infective agent that is a natural component of sweat. The first antimicrobial agent found that is produced by cells in the skin, dermicidin is reportedly active against many different types of bacteria…
Dermis

The lower or inner layer of the two main layers of cells that make up the skin.The dermis contains blood vessels, lymph vessels, hair follicles, and glands that produce sweat, which helps regulate body temperature, and…
Dermoid

Also called a dermoid cyst of the ovary, this is a bizarre tumor, usually benign, in the ovary that typically contains a diversity of tissues including hair, teeth, bone, thyroid, etc. A dermoid cyst develops from a…
Dermoid cyst of the ovary

Cyst of the ovary : A bizarre tumor, usually benign, in the ovary that typically contains a diversity of tissues including hair, teeth, bone, thyroid, etc. A dermoid cyst develops from a totipotential germ cell (a…
Dermopathy

Any disease of the skin. Synonymous with dermatopathy.
Dermopathy, diabetic

See: Diabetic dermopathy
DES

Diethylstilbestrol, the earliest synthetic (man-made) form of a hormone in the estrogen class. DES was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages and premature births. Its usage was standard practice in the 1950s…
Descending aorta

The descending aorta is the part of the aorta, the largest artery in the body, that runs down through the chest and the abdomen. The descending aorta starts after the arch of the aorta and ends by splitting into two…
Descending pathway

A nerve pathway that goes down the spinal cord and allows the brain to control movement of the body below the head. In contrast, ascending pathways are nerve pathways that go upward from the spinal cord toward the brain…
Desensitization, allergy

Stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy 'war' (by reducing the strength of the IgE and its effect on…
Desert fever

A disease also called coccidioidomycosis (CM) due to a fungus called Coccidioides immitis. About 40% of people infected with this fungus develop symptoms. Most often they have an influenza-like illness with fever…
Desiccate

To remove the moisture from a thing that normally contains moisture, such as a plant; to dry out completely; to preserve by drying. The process of desiccating a thing is called desiccation; an agent used to bring about…
Designer estrogen

An engineered drug that possesses some, but not all, of the actions of estrogen. Designer estrogens are selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs). For example, raloxifene (trade name Evista) is classified as a SERM…
Designer steroid

A synthetic steroid derived by simple chemical modification from another steroid, usually an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids, which build muscle mass, can have serious long-term health consequences in men, women…
Desmoid tumor

A benign soft tissue tumor that occurs most often in young adults and involves the limbs or trunk but can also arise in the abdomen or thorax. Desmoid tumors are benign. They never metastasize (spread to other parts of…
Desmoplasia

This term refers to the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. Some tumors elicit a desmoplastic reaction, the pervasive growth of dense fibrous tissue around the tumor. Scar tissue (adhesion) within the abdomen after…
Desmoplastic

This term refers to the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. Some tumors elicit a desmoplastic reaction, the pervasive growth of dense fibrous tissue around the tumor. Scar tissue (adhesion) within the abdomen after…
Desmoplastic reaction

This term refers to the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. Some tumors elicit a desmoplastic reaction, the pervasive growth of dense fibrous tissue around the tumor. Scar tissue (adhesion) within the abdomen after…
Desquamate

To shed the outer layers of the skin. Although it may sound somewhat fishy, the word 'desquamate' comes from the Latin 'desquamare' meaning 'to scrape the scales off a fish.'
Desquamation

The shedding of the outer layers of the skin. For example, once the rash of measles fades, there is desquamation. The word comes from the Latin 'desquamare' meaning 'to scrape the scales off a fish.'
Detox

Short for detoxification, usually from an addictive drug such as alcohol or heroin. A detox center is designed to promote the recovery of a person from an addiction
Detoxify

To reduce or eliminate the toxicity of a substance or poison. To promote the recovery of a person from an addictive drug such as alcohol or heroin
Deuteranomaly

Colorblindness of the red-green type, also known as deuteranopia or Daltonism. The term 'Daltonism' is derived from the name of the chemist and physicist, John Dalton (1766-1844). Dalton was born in a village in…
Deuteranopia

Colorblindness of the red-green type, also known as deuteranomaly or Daltonism. The term 'Daltonism' is derived from the name of the chemist and physicist, John Dalton (1766-1844). Dalton was born in a village in…
Deuterium

A non-radioactive isotope of hydrogen that contains a neutron in its nucleus in addition to the one proton normally seen in hydrogen. A deuterium atom is twice as heavy as normal hydrogen
Development

The process of growth and differentiation.
Development, Human, . . . (NICHD)

Of Child Health and (NICHD): One of the US National Institutes of Health, NICHD is in a sense the NIH for kids in that it is concerned with child health. The mission of the NICHD is, in formal terms, to support and…
Developmental delay

Behind schedule in reaching milestones of early childhood development.
Developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH)

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…
Developmental disorder

One of several disorders that interrupt normal development in childhood. They may affect a single area of development (specific developmental disorders) or several (pervasive developmental disorders). With early…
Developmental disorder, specific

A disorder that selectively affects one area of development, sparing essentially all other areas of development. For example, dysgraphia is one type of specific developmental disorder. In dysgraphia there is inability…
Developmental dyspraxia

A pattern of delayed, uneven, or aberrant development of physical abilities during childhood development. The physical abilities affected may be gross or fine motor skills. Developmental dyspraxia may be seen alone or…
Deviation of the nasal septum

Failure of the nasal septum to be in the center where it is supposed to be. (The nasal septum is the wall inside the nose that runs down the middle dividing it into two sides.) Deviation of the nasal septum may be…
Device, assistive

Any device that is designed, made, and/or adapted to assist a person to perform a particular task. For examples, canes, crutches, walkers, wheel chairs, and shower chairs are all assistive devices. Device, intrauterine…
Device, medical

See: Medical device
DEXA

Dual energy X-ray absorptometry. See: DXA
Dexfenfluramine

A weight loss drug, in a class of drugs called anorectics which decrease appetite. This drug, sold in the US under the brand name Redux, was withdrawn from the US market in 1997, and has since been withdrawn worldwide…
Dextro-

Prefix taken straight from the Greek meaning "through, throughout, completely" as in diachronic, diagnosis, dialysis, etc. Dia- should not be confused with the prefix di- which has a wholly different meaning.
Dextrocardia

The heart is reversed and is in the right side of the chest rather than in its normal location on the left. This is a true anatomic reversal. With dextrocardia, for example, the apex (tip) of the heart points to the…
Dextromethorphan

An oral cough suppressant available in the US without a prescription but which is sometimes abused as a recreational drug. Dextromethorphan (DXM) is chemically related to codeine and acts on the brain to suppress cough…