Medical terms - Letter M | MedicalVocabulary.org

M protein

An antibody or part of an antibody found in unusually large amounts in the blood or urine of patients with multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that arises in plasma cells (white blood cells that produce antibodies)
M. avium

Mycobacterium avium
M. intercellulare

Mycobacterium intercellulare
M. leprae

Mycobacterium leprae
M. marinum

Mycobacterium marinum
M.D.

Abbreviation for the Latin title Medicinae Doctor, Doctor of Medicine. Sometimes written today as MD (without the period after each letter). All medical schools in the United States and Canada award an M.D. degree…
MAB

Or mab. Abbreviation for monoclonal antibody. At the end of a generic drug name, -mab indicates that the drug is a monoclonal antibody. As in adalimumab, bevacizumab, infliximab, rituximab, and trastuzumab
Mab

Monoclonal antibody. See: MAB
MAC

To soften tissues after death by soaking and by enzymatic digestion, as occurs with a stillborn. The word "macerate" comes from the Latin "macero" meaning to soften by soaking (in a liquid).
Macerate

To soften tissues after death by soaking and by enzymatic digestion, as occurs with a stillborn. The word 'macerate' comes from the Latin 'macero' meaning to soften by soaking (in a liquid).
Macewen operation

A surgical operation for inguinal hernia designed by Sir William Macewen (1848-1924), a surgeon in Glascow, Scotland who also described Macewen's sign for the detection of hydrocephalus and brain abscess.
Macewen sign

A sign to detect hydrocephalus and brain abscess. Percussion (tapping) on the skull at a particular spot (near the junction of the frontal, temporal and parietal bones) yields an unusually resonant sound in the presence…
Machine, continuous passive motion machine

A machine used to help rehabilitate a limb (an arm or leg). The continuous passive motion (CPM) machine is attached to, for example, a knee that has had surgery. The CPM machine then constantly moves the knee through a…
Machine, CPM

A machine used to help rehabilitate a limb (an arm or leg). The continuous passive motion (CPM) machine is attached to, for example, a knee that has had surgery. The CPM machine then constantly moves the knee through a…
Machine, heart-lung

A machine that does the work both of the heart (pump blood) and the lungs (oxygenate the blood). Used, for example, in open heart surgery. Blood returning to the heart is diverted through the machine before returning it…
Macro- (prefix)

Prefix from the Greek 'makros' meaning large or long. Examples of terms involving macro- include macrobiotic, macrocephaly, macrocytic, macroglossia, macrophage, macroscopic, and macrosomia. The opposite of macro- is…
Macroangiopathy

Angiopathy means disease of the blood vessels (arteries, veins, and capillaries). There are two types of angiopathy: microangiopathy and macroangiopathy. With microangiopathy, the walls of very small blood vessels…
Macrobiota

The living organisms (or flora and fauna) of a region that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. From the Greek macro-, large + bios, life.
Macrobiotic

Macrobiotic refers to the macrobiota, a region's living organisms (or flora and fauna) large enough to be seen with the naked eye. However, macro- comes from the Greek 'makros' meaning not only 'large' but also 'long'…
Macrobiotic diet

A diet concept that incorporates Ayurvedic principles of food combining, relies mainly on whole grains and vegetables, and claims to lengthen life and promote mental and physical well-being. Proponents of this diet…
Macrocephaly

An abnormally large head. The opposite of macrocephaly is microcephaly (an abnormally small head)
Macrocephaly, multiple lipomas, and hemangiomas

Bannayan syndrome, a genetic disease characterized by macrocephaly (enlarged head), multiple lipomas (benign fatty tumors) and hemangiomas (benign blood vessel tumors). The macrocephaly occurs without enlargement of the…
Macrocytic

1. Any abnormally large cell. The opposite of macrocytic is microcytic (an abnormally small cell). 2. An abnormally large red blood cell. Folic acid deficiency is one cause of macrocytic anemia
Macrogenitosomia

Condition in which the external sex organs are prematurely enlarged or abnormally enlarged. In males, it is caused by an excess of the hormone androgen during fetal development. In females, the clitoris may be enlarged…
Macroglobulinemia

A condition in which the blood contains high levels of large proteins and is too thick to flow through small blood vessels. The large protein is an antibody called macroglobulin or IgM. One type of macroglobulinemia is…
Macroglobulinemia, Waldenstrom

See: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia
Macroglossia

Enlarged tongue. Macroglossia is sometimes said to be associated with Down syndrome, but in that disorder the tongue is actually large only in relation to a smaller-than-normal mouth cavity.
Macrognathia

An abnormally large jaw. This condition is associated with pituitary gigantism, tumors, and other disorders. Macrognathia can often be corrected with surgery. Also called prognathic mandible
Macrolide

One in a class of antibiotics that includes Biaxin, Clarithromycin, Ery-Tab, and Erythromycin. The macrolides inhibit the growth of bacteria and are often prescribed to treat rather common bacterial infections. In more…
Macroorchidism

Abnormally large testes. To determine if the testes are too large, a device called an orchidometer is used that permits the testes to be compared to a series of plastic ovals (like miniature American footballs) of…
Macrophage

A type of white blood that ingests (takes in) foreign material. Macrophages are key players in the immune response to foreign invaders such as infectious microorganisms. Blood monocytes migrate into the tissues of the…
Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1

See: MIC-1
Macrophagic myofasciitis

A muscle disease first identified in 1993, macrophagic myofasciitis is named for the findings seen in tissue from muscle biopsies, namely an abnormal infiltrate surrounding muscle tissue of specialized immune cells…
Macroscopic

Large enough to be seen with the naked eye, as opposed to microscopic. For example, a macroscopic tumor is big enough to be seen without the aid of a microscope. From the Greek macro- (large, long) + -scopic, from…
Macrosomia

Overly large body. A child with macrosomia has significant overgrowth
Macrovascular

Pertaining to the macrovasculature, the portion of the vasculature of the body comprising the larger vessels, those with an internal diameter of more than 100 microns. By contrast to microvascular. The term…
Macrovascular disease

Disease of the large blood vessels, including the coronary arteries, the aorta, and the sizable arteries in the brain and in the limbs. Macrovascular disease is by contrast to microvascular disease. In persons with…
Macula

A macula is a small spot. A macula on the skin is a small flat spot while the macula in the eye is a small spot where vision is keenest in the retina. NTER> The macula of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue…
Macular

Pertaining to the macula. A macula is a small spot. A macula on the skin is a small flat spot while the macula in the eye is a small spot where vision is keenest in the retina. NTER> The macula of the retina, the…
Macular (skin)

Adjective referring to macules which are circumscribed changes in the color of skin that are neither raised (elevated) nor depressed. Macules are never large. They are little spots or blemishes in the skin. They are…
Macular cyst

A hole in the macula, the tiny oval area made up of millions of nerve cells located at the center of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. The eye contains a jelly-like substance called the vitreous…
Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration: A disease that progressively destroys the macula, the central portion of the retina, impairing central vision. Macular degeneration rarely causes blindness because only the center of vision is…
Macular hole

A hole in the macula, the tiny oval area made up of millions of nerve cells located at the center of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision. The eye contains a jelly-like substance called the vitreous…
Macular pucker

Scar tissue in the macula, the area of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. The scar can blur and distort vision and make straight lines appear wavy. Macular pucker is due most often to age-related shrinkage…
Macular retinopathy

Any pathologic condition or disease of the macula, the small spot in the retina where vision is keenest. Also called maculopathy. NTER>
Macular vision

The macula is a special area in the center of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. As we read, light is focused onto our macula. There, millions of cells change the light into nerve…
Macule

A small localized change in the color of skin that is neither raised (elevated) nor depressed. Macules are never large. They are basically little spots or blemishes in the skin. They are entirely flat and can only be…
Macules

Small circumscribed changes in the color of skin that are neither raised (elevated) nor depressed. Macules are never large. They are basically little spots or blemishes in the skin. They are entirely flat and can only…
Maculopathy

Any pathologic condition or disease of the macula, the small spot in the retina where vision is keenest. Also called macular retinopathy. NTER>
Maculopathy, cellophane

See: Macular pucker