Medical terms - Letter G (page 6) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Gesundheit

Interjection used to wish 'good health,' especially to someone who has sneezed. In this situation, Gesundheit is roughly equivalent to 'God bless you.' In German 'Gesundheit' means 'health' (and 'sanity'). Wishing 'good…
GFAP

Glial fibrillary acidic protein. The degenerative brain condition called Alexander disease is caused by mutation in GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein). The GFAP gene provides instructions for making GFAP protein, a…
GFP

Green fluorescent protein
GHB

Known in Europe as Gamma-OH, this is gamma hydroxybutyrate, a colorless and odorless drug used illicitly for 'recreational' purposes and for 'date rape.' GBH is a central nervous system depressant. It tends therefore to…
GI

1. In medicine, commonly used abbreviation for gastrointestinal, referring collectively to the stomach and the small and large intestine.2. Outside of medicine, GI may stand for galvanized iron, general issue or…
GI tract

Short for gastrointestinal tract. See: Gastrointestinal tract
Giant cell arteritis

A serious disease characterized by inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels (vasculitis). The vessels affected by the inflammation are the arteries (hence the name 'arteritis'). The age of affected patients is…
Giant cell pneumonia

Pneumonia: Also known as Hecht's pneumonia, this is a deadly but fortunately rare complication of measles. It tends to strike children who are immunodeficient as from leukemia or HIV/AIDS. The postmortem examination…
Giant cell tumor of bone

A tumor of bone characterized by massive destruction of the end (epiphysis) of a long bone. The site most commonly struck by this tumor is the knee -- the far end of the femur and the near end of the tibia. The tumor is…
Giant cell tumor, malignant

A type of bone tumor characterized by massive destruction of bone near the end (epiphysis) of a long bone. The site most commonly struck by this tumor is the knee -- the far end of the femur and the near end of the…
Giant hypertrophic gastritis

A premalignant disorder of the stomach characterized by overgrowth of the stomach lining (the gastric mucosa) and hypoalbuminemia (low blood serum level of albumin) due to loss of albumin by the stomach. The…
Giant hypertrophy of gastric mucosa

See: Giant hypertrophic gastritis
Giant intestinal fluke

Fasciolopsis buski. See: Fasciolopsis
Giant platelet syndrome

Nard-Soulier syndrome): This condition is a primary problem of platelets in which the platelets lack the ability to stick adequately to injured blood vessel walls and as a result of this problem there is abnormal…
Giardia

A genus of protozoa that infect the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, including humans. Giardia have a large sucking disk which permits them to adhere to the intestinal lining. The species that infects humans (and…
Giardia lamblia

Giardia lamblia: A parasite responsible for a contagious form of diarrhea. The parasite is most commonly transmitted through direct contact with infected feces or by eating food or drinking water contaminated by feces…
Giardiasis

Infection with Giardia lamblia
Gibbon

See: Gibbon, John H., Jr.
Gibbon heart-lung machine

The first heart-lung machine. Named for the American physician John H. Gibbon who built it in 1937. This machine used two roller pumps and could replace the heart and lungs of a cat but was too small for dogs or humans…
Gibbon, John H., Jr.

American cardiovascular surgeon (1903-1973) who performed the world's first successful open-heart operation using a heart-lung machine that totally bypassed the heart. Research and work with cats and dogs prepared the…
GIFT

A technique in which the male and female cells required to begin reproduction are injected into the fallopian tubes of the female for fertilization. This technique is one of the methods doctors use to overcome…
Gigantism

Excessive growth both in height and specific body parts. Gigantism with extreme height may be associated with disorders of pituitary gland, which may oversecrete human growth hormone (somatotrophin) during childhood…
Gigantism, eunuchoid

Extremely tall stature due to the delayed onset of puberty which permits the continued growth of the long bones before their growing ends (epiphyses) fuse and growth stops
Gigantism, focal

Excessive growth of specific body parts such as an arm, the tongue, or a combination of specific body parts as is seen in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome or acromegaly. This type of gigantism may occur before or after the…
Gigantism, pituitary

Excessive growth and height due to chronic overactivity of the pituitary gland (at the base of the brain). (Growth hormone is specifically made by the anterior pituitary gland.) In pituitary gigantism, there is…
Gilbert syndrome

Gilbert syndrome: A common but harmless genetic condition in which a liver enzyme essential to the disposal of bilirubin (the chemical that results from the normal breakdown of hemoglobin from red blood cells) is…
Ginger

Ginger: A perennial tropical herb that has been used as a treatment for nausea and bowel spasms. Ginger may lead to blood thinning. It is therefore best not taken with medications that prevent blood clotting…
Gingiva

The gum
Gingivitis

Gum disease with inflammation of the gums. On inspection, the gums will appear red and puffy, and will usually bleed during tooth-brushing or dental examination. Treatment is by improved cleaning, with more-frequent and…
Gingivitis, acute membranous

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, acute necrotizing ulcerative (ANUG)

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, fusospirillary

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, fusospirochetal

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, necrotizing

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, phagedenic

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, ulcerative

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingivitis, Vincent

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform…
Gingko biloba

An herb that is very popular as a treatment for dementia (a progressive brain dysfunction) and to improve thinking. Gingko can cause mild stomach upset and headache. Gingko seems also to have blood thinning properties…
Ginseng

An herb that has been used to stimulate the adrenal gland and thereby increase energy. It also may have some beneficial effect on reducing blood sugar in patients with diabetes mellitus. Ginseng can cause elevation in…
GIST

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor
GJB2

A gene that provides instructions to make a protein called gap junction beta 2. Mutations in the GJB2 gene are responsible for autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive forms of nonsyndromic deafness (hearing loss…
GLA

1. Alpha-galactosidase A, the enzyme that is deficient in Fabry disease.2. Gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid.
Glabella

1. The area between the eyebrows, just above the nose. 2. The corresponding area on the frontal bone between the eyebrow ridges. From the Latin glabellus, hairless, from glaber, bald.
Gland

1. A group of cells that secrete a substance for use in the body. For example, the thyroid gland. 2. A group of cells that removes materials from the circulation. For example, a lymph gland
Gland of external secretion

See: Exocrine gland
Gland of internal secretion

See: Endocrine gland
Gland, adrenal

One of a pair of small glands, each of which sits on top of one of the kidneys. The adrenal is made up of an outer wall (the cortex) and an inner portion (the medulla). The adrenal glands produce hormones that help…
Gland, bulbourethral

See: Bulbourethral gland
Gland, Cowper's

See: Bulbourethral gland
Gland, endocrine

See: Endocrine gland