Medical terms - Letter E (page 4) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Elbow, arthritis of the

Inflammation (arthritis) of the elbow joint can be due to many systemic forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and Reiter's disease. Generally…
Elbow, cellulitis of the

Inflammation of the skin around the elbow due to infection (cellulitis) commonly occurs as a result of abrasions or puncture wounds permitting bacteria on the surface of the skin to invade the deeper layers of the skin…
Elbow, golfer's

The inner portion of the elbow is a bony prominence called the medial epicondyle. Tendons from the muscles attach here and can be injured, causing medial epicondylitis. To those who play the ancient Scottish sport, this…
Elbow, tennis

A painful injury to the tendon that is attached to the outer part of the elbow due to repetitive twisting of the wrist or forearm which causes irritation and inflammation of the extensor tendon. This tendon attaches to…
Elbow, tip of the

The bony tip of the elbow is called the olecranon. It is formed by the near end of the ulna, one of the two long bones in the forearm (the other is the radius). The triceps muscle tendon of the back of the arm attaches…
ELBW

Stands for extremely low birth weight. An ELBW baby is one born very prematurely weighing between 401 and 1000 grams (about 14 to 35 ounces) at birth. Extremely low birth weight babies are at the lower limits of…
Elder abuse

The physical, sexual, or emotional abuse of an elderly person, usually one who is disabled or frail. Elder abuse is an umbrella term used to describe one or more of the following: > >Physical abuse is the willful…
Elective

In medicine, something chosen (elected). An elective procedure is one that is chosen (elected) by the patient or physician that is advantageous to the patient but is not urgent. Elective surgery is decided by the…
Elective mutism

Complete lack of speech (mutism) that is believed to be volitional (willed) on the part of the patient. True elective mutism may be a reaction to a traumatic event, the aftermath of an injury to the mouth or throat…
Elective surgery

Surgery that is subject to choice (election). The choice may be made by the patient or doctor. For example, the time when a surgical procedure is performed may be elective. The procedure is beneficial to the patient but…
Electro-oculography

EOG. A type of electrophysiologic retinal testing done to measure the difference in the electrical potential between the front and back of the eye in response to dark and light
Electrocardiogram

Electrocardiogram: A recording of the electrical activity of the heart. An electrocardiogram is a simple, non-invasive procedure. Electrodes are placed on the skin of the chest and connected in a specific order to a…
Electrocoagulation

The coagulation (clotting) of tissue using a high-frequency electrical current applied locally with a metal instrument or needle with the aim of stopping bleeding. There is also, for example, laser coagulation and…
Electrocoagulation

A test that measures the electrical potentials generated in the inner ear in response to stimulation by sound. Electrocochleography may be done, for example, to confirm the diagnosis of Meniere disease. Abbreviated…
Electrocochleography

A test that measures the electrical potentials generated in the inner ear in response to stimulation by sound. Electrocochleography may be done, for example, to confirm the diagnosis of Meniere disease. Abbreviated…
Electroconvulsive therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy: A procedure in which an electric current is passed through the brain to produce controlled convulsions (seizures) to treat patients with depression, particularly for those who cannot take or…
Electrodesiccation

Use of an electric current to destroy cancerous tissue and control bleeding
Electroencephalogram

A study of electrical current within the brain. Electrodes are attached to the scalp. Wires attach these electrodes to a machine which records the electrical impulses. The results are either printed out or displayed on…
Electrogastrogram

Electrogastrogram: An electrogastrogram is a study in which the electrical current generated by the muscle of the stomach is sensed and recorded. Thus, it is analogous to an electrocardiogram of the heart. The…
Electrolarynx

A battery-operated instrument that makes a humming sound to help people who have lost their larynx to talk
Electrolysis

Electrolysis: Permanent removal of body hair, including the hair root, with an electronic device. While it is billed as a permanent process, many people find that hair does grow back (albeit slowly) after electrolysis…
Electrolyte

An electrolyte is a substance that will dissociate into ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. The electrolytes include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate. Informally, called…
Electromagnetic field therapy

See: Magnet therapy
Electromyogram

Electromyogram: A test used to record the electrical activity of muscles. When muscles are active, they produce an electrical current that is usually proportional to the level of muscle activity. An electromyogram (EMG)…
Electromyogram, surface

Surface EMG
Electron beam computerized tomography (EBCT)

A new (and controversial) noninvasive test for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). EBCT, or Ultrafast CT (as the technique will be termed here) is designed to measure calcium deposits in the coronary…
Electron microscope

Abbreviated EM. Microscopy in which an electron beam replaces light to form the image. EM has its pluses (greater magnification and resolution than optical microscopes) and minuses (you are not really "seeing" objects…
Electron microscopy

A recording of the eye movements, usually done to confirm the presence of nystagmus. Electronystagmogram may be done in cases of vertigo (dizziness) to determine if there is damage to the vestibular portion of the…
Electronystagmogram

A recording of the eye movements, usually done to confirm the presence of nystagmus. Electronystagmogram may be done in cases of vertigo (dizziness) to determine if there is damage to the vestibular portion of the…
Electrophoresis

A process by which molecules (such as proteins, DNA, or RNA fragments) can be separated according to size and electrical charge by applying an electric current to them. Each kind of molecule travels through the medium…
Electrophoretic

Pertaining to electrophoresis, the separation of molecules according to their size and electrical charge by applying an electric current to them
Electrophrenic respiration

See: Diaphragm pacing
Electrophysiologic

Pertaining to electrophysiology
Electrophysiologic retinal testing

Testing done to diagnose specific disorders of the retina, including inherited retinal diseases, the effects of toxic drug exposure on the retina, and the presence of foreign bodies within the eye. The most commonly…
Electrophysiologic study of the heart

A test of the electrical conduction system of the heart (the system that generates the heart beat). Electrophysiologic study (EPS) of the heart is done by threading thin plastic tubes (catheters) into a vein where the…
Electrophysiologic testing of the retina

See: Electrophysiologic retinal testing
Electrophysiology

The biomedical field dealing with the study of electric activity in the body. Electrophysiology includes the study of the production of electrical activity and the effects of that electrical activity on the body. See…
Electroretinogram

Abbreviated ERG. An electroretinographic recording. See: Electroretinography
Electroretinography

Electroretinography: Abbreviated ERG. A test in which the electrical potentials generated by the retina of the eye are measured when the retina is stimulated by light. In an ERG, an electrode is placed on the cornea at…
Electroshock therapy

See Electroconvulsive therapy
Electrosurgery

Instead of using a scalpel, the surgeon utilizes a heat-generating electrical device to burn or vaporize tissue in order to remove it and minimize and halt bleeding
Elephantiasis

Lymphatic filariasis, a mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by tiny thread-like worms that live in the human lymph system. Best known from dramatic photos of people with grossly enlarged or swollen arms and legs…
Elevated hemidiaphragm

Elevation of half of the diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen and that serves as the main muscle of respiration. The elevation of a hemidiaphragm is a significant sign of a problem…
Eleventh cranial nerve

The eleventh cranial nerve is the accessory nerve. The twelve cranial nerves, the accessory nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium) as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral…
Elidel

Brand name of pimecrolimus
ELISA

ELISA stands for 'enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.' This is a rapid immunochemical test that involves an enzyme (a protein that catalyzes a biochemical reaction). It also involves an antibody or antigen (immunologic…
Elizabeth Blackwell

See: Blackwell, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

See: Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

See: Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth
Elliptocytosis

Hematologic disorder characterized by elliptically shaped red blood cells (elliptocytosis) with variable breakup of red cells (hemolysis) and varying degrees of anemia. Inherited as a dominant trait. Due to mutation…