Medical terms - Letter P (page 13) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Photocoagulation

The coagulation (clotting) of tissue using a laser which produces light in the visible green wavelength that is selectively absorbed by hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, in order to seal off bleeding blood…
Photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy: A form of cancer treatment using an photosensitizing agent administered intravenously which concentrates selectively in tumor cells, followed by exposure of the tumor tissue to a special red laser…
Photokeratitis

A burn of the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) by ultraviolet B rays (UVB). Also called radiation keratitis or snowblindness. The condition typically occurs at high altitudes on highly reflective snow fields…
Photophobia

Painful oversensitivity to light. For example, there is photophobia in measles (rubeola). Keeping the lights dim or the room darkened may be useful. Sunglasses may also help. Whereas most phobias are abnormal…
Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)

A kind of laser eye surgery designed to change the shape of the cornea to eliminate (or reduce) the need for glasses and contact lenses. The laser is used to remove the outer layer of the cornea and flatten the cornea…
Photosensitivity

In medicine, increased sensitivity of the skin to light and other sources of UV.Photosensitivity commonly causes reddening and blistering of the skin with exposure to sunlight and, in time, it heightens the risk of skin…
Phototherapy

Treatment with light. For example, a newborn with jaundice may be 'put under the lights.'
Phrenic pacing

See: Diaphragm pacing
Phrenology

The study of variations in size, shape, and proportion of the cranium. Phrenology was a pseudoscience of the 18th and 19th centuries based on the belief that a person's character could be learned by looking with care at…
PHS

The Public Health Service, the agency responsible for the public health of the American people. The Public Health Service (PHS) administers a number of critically important health agencies including the Food and Drug…
Phthisis

A good trivia or crossword item. An over-consonanted Greek word meaning 'a dwindling or wasting away.' Pronounced TIE-sis. Phthisis is an archaic name for tuberculosis. A person afflicted with tuberculosis in the old…
Phylogenetics

A physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Physiatrists specialize in restoring optimal function to people with injuries to the muscles, bones, tissues, and nervous system (such as stroke victims).
Physiatrist

Next to child neglect, physical abuse is the second most frequently reported form of child abuse, accounting for 25% of all cases of child abuse. Physical child abuse is physical injury inflicted upon the child with…
Physical child abuse

See: Normal growth.
Physical growth

A map of the locations of identifiable landmarks on chromosomes. Physical distance is measured in base pairs. The physical map differs from the genetic map which is based purely on genetic linkage data. In the human…
Physical map

A person trained and certified by a state or accrediting body to design and implement physical therapy programs. Physical therapists may work within a hospital or clinic, in a school providing assistance to special…
Physical therapist

A person trained and certified by a state or accrediting body to design and implement physical therapy programs. Physical therapists may work within a hospital or clinic, in a school providing assistance to special…
Physical therapy

A branch of rehabilitative health that uses specially designed exercises and equipment to help patients regain or improve their physical abilities. Physical therapists work with many types of patients, from infants born…
Physician

A physician is a person trained in the art of healing. In reality, contemporary physicians express their skills by combining art with science. A physician is also referred to as a doctor of medicine. The term…
Physician assistant (PA)

>Medical histories and physical examinations: a PA is usually can perform histories and physical examinations that do not go beyond a particular level. >Laboratory tests: a PA can order any test which he or she is…
Physician assisted suicide

See: Physician-assisted suicide
Physician discontent

Dissatisfaction with medical practice. Physician discontent increased substantially in the last quarter of the 20th century. The sources of dissatisfaction included pressures from managed-care systems, the malpractice…
Physician, emergency

See: Emergency physician
Physician, family

A physician who is educated and trained in family practice. 'Family physicians possess unique attitudes, skills, and knowledge which qualify them to provide continuing and comprehensive medical care, health maintenance…
Physician-assisted suicide

Suicide: The voluntary termination of one's own life by administration of a lethal substance with the direct or indirect assistance of a physician. Physician-assisted suicide is the practice of providing a competent…
Physicians Health Study

A very large, long-term, randomized study initiated in 1982 to look at the effects of aspirin and beta-carotene on cancer and cardiovascular disease. Its finding that daily low-dose aspirin decreased the risk of a first…
Physicians' Desk Reference

A thick volume that provides a guide to all prescription drugs available in the United States. Although not exactly recommended fare for bedtime reading, the PDR is a key reference to the American pharmacopeia…
Physics, health

The science of human health and radiation exposure. Health physics, also called medical physics, is devoted to radiation safety. The international professional body for health physics, the Health Physics Society, notes…
Physics, medical

See: Medical physics
Physiologic

Something that is normal, neither due to anything pathologic nor significant in terms of causing illness
Physiologic amenorrhea

The cessation of menstruation that it is completely normal and is not caused by anything pathologic. The lack of menstruation during pregnancy is a form of physiologic amenorrhea. Amenorrhea during lactation is another…
Physiologic jaundice of the newborn

Although there can be a diversity of physiologic stress tests, this refers here to a physiologic cardiac stress test in which certain medications are administered that stimulate the heart to mimic the physiologic…
Physiologic stress test

Stress test: Although there can be a diversity of physiologic stress tests, this refers here to a physiologic cardiac stress test in which certain medications are administered that stimulate the heart to mimic the…
Physiology

>Some physiological studies are concerned with processes that go on within cells such as phagocytosis, the process by which cells engulf and usually digest particles, bacteria and other microorganisms, and even harmful…
Phytanic acid storage disease

See Refsum disease
Phytochemical

The active health-protecting compounds that are found as components of plants. Currently, the terms 'phytochemical' and 'phytonutrient' are being used interchangeably to describe those plant compounds which are thought…
Phytodermatitis

Inflammation of the skin caused by a plant. The basic clinical patterns of phytodermatitis are allergic phytodermatitis, photophytodermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, pharmacologic injury, and mechanical injury
Phytonutrient

The active health-protecting Currently, the terms 'phytonutrient' and 'phytochemical' are being used interchangeably to describe those plant compounds which are thought to have health-protecting qualities. The…
Phytotoxin

A poison in a plant. Abrin and ricin are examples of phytotoxins. Abrin comes from the seeds of a plant called the rosary pea or jequirity pea and ricin from the seeds of the castor bean plant
PI

In medecine, not a private investigator but a principal investigator, the person who directs a research project or program
Pia mater

One of the meninges, the pia mater is the delicate innermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord. It is known informally as the pia.
Pianist's cramp

A dystonia that affects the muscles of the hand and sometimes the forearm and only occurs when playing the piano (or another keyboard instrument such as the harpsichord). Similar focal dystonias have also been called…
Pica

A craving for something not normally regarded as nutritive. For example, dirt. Pica is a classic clue to iron deficiency in children. It also occurs in zinc deficiency. Pica is also seen as a symptom in several…
Pick disease

Pick disease: A form of dementia characterized by a slowly progressive deterioration of social skills and changes in personality leading to impairment of intellect, memory, and language. The common core of symptoms…
Pickwickian syndrome

The combination of obesity, somnolence (sleepiness), hypoventilation (underbreathing), and plethoric (red) face. The syndrome is so named because of the 'fat and red-faced boy in a state of somnolency' that Charles…
PID (pelvic inflammatory disease)

Despite its seeming lack of gender, this term is applied to women only. PID refers exclusively to ascending infection of the female upper genital tract (the female structures above the cervix). PID is the most common…
Piercing

Using a sharp instrument, usually a needle, to make a temporary or permanent hole through an earlobe or other body part. Humans have practiced piercing for body decoration since prehistoric times. Unless it is performed…
Pigeon breast

Prominence of the breast bone (sternum). Medically, pigeon breast is called pectus carinatum.
PIGF

Placental growth factor
Pigment

A substance that gives color to tissue. Pigments are responsible for the color of skin, eyes, and hair