Medical terms - Letter P (page 18) | MedicalVocabulary.org

Poliomyelitis

An acute and sometimes devastating viral disease. Man is the only natural host for poliovirus. The virus enters the mouth and multiplies in lymphoid tissues in the pharynx and intestine. Small numbers of virus enter the…
Poliovirus

A member of the enterovirus subgroup, family Picornaviridae. Enteroviruses are transient inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract. Picornaviruses are small viruses with an RNA genome. There are three strains of…
Polish disease

Syphilis. Depending upon someone's thoughts as to where the disease came from, syphilis was also known as the French, Italian, Spanish and German disease
Polle syndrome

The Munchhausen syndrome by proxy. Polle was the fictional Baron Munchausen's only child and died at a year of age
Pollen

Small, light, dry protein particles from trees, grasses, flowers, and weeds that may be spread by the wind. Pollen particles are usually the male sex cells of the plant, and are smaller than the tip of a pin. Pollen is…
Pollen count

The number of pollen grains landing on a given area during a specified time. The count is taken by a spinning rod that moves through the air at certain intervals. The pollen grains that stick to the rod are specially…
Pollenosis

See: Pollinosis
Pollex

The thumb. Pollex is derived from the Latin pollere, to be strong, because in a contest of strength the thumb wins over the other fingers. Plural: pollices. The Romans used pollex for both the thumb and the big toe. In…
Pollices

The thumbs. The plural of pollex. See: Pollex
Pollinosis

1. Hay fever in response to pollen. 2. Hay fever in response to any allergen. See: Hay fever.
Polonies

See: Polony
Polony

A tiny colony of DNA, about one micron in diameter. The word 'polony' is a contraction of 'polymerase colony.' To create polonies, a solution containing dispersed DNA fragments is poured onto a microscope slide. An…
Poly-

1) Prefix meaning much or many For example, polycystic means characterized by many cysts. 2) Short form for polymorphonuclear leukocyte, a type of white blood cell
Poly1 isomerase

An enzyme also known as Pin1. See: Pin1
Polyarteritis nodosa

Polyarteritis nodosa: An autoimmune disease (immune system attacking its own body) characterized by spontaneous inflammation of the arteries (arteritis) of the body. Because arteries are involved, the disease can affect…
Polyarticular

Involving many joints. As opposed to monoarticular (affecting just one joint). From the Latin 'articulus,' meaning a joint
Polycentric

Having two or more centers. Polycentric disease is usually referred to as multicentric disease. See also: Multifocal
Polychlorinated biphenyls

See: PCBs
Polychlorocamphene

See: Toxaphene
Polyclonal

Derived from different cells. As opposed to monoclonal
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon

Abbreviated PAH. A hydrocarbon (a molecule made up of hydrogen and carbon) containing two or more closed rings of atoms. PAHs are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) pollutant. Exposure usually occurs by…
Polycystic kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease: One of the genetic disorders characterized by the development of innumerable cysts in the kidneys. These cysts are filled with fluid, and replace much of the mass of the kidneys. This reduces…
Polycystic kidney disease, adult

See: Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant
Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant

Cystic kidney disease, autosomal dominant: A late onset disorder characterized by the progressive development of innumerable cysts in the kidney, causing hypertension, renal pain, and renal insufficiency (kidney…
Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive

Ystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive: An early onset disorder characterized by the presence of innumerable cysts in the kidney and enlarged kidneys that can usually be detected before birth (by ultrasound) or in…
Polycystic kidney disease, infantile

See: Polycystic kidney disease, autosomal recessive
Polycystic ovary syndrome

Abbreviated PCOS. Polcystic ovary syndrome is a condition in women characterized by irregular or no menstrual periods, acne, obesity, and excess hair growth. PCOS is a disorder of chronically abnormal ovarian function…
Polycythemia

Too many red blood cells. The opposite of anemia. Polycythemia formally exists when the hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) count, and total RBC volume are all above normal
Polycythemia vera (PV)

Overproduction (proliferation) of red blood cells due to bone marrow disease (myeloproferative disorder). PV tends to evolve into acute leukemia or a condition with the marrow replaced by scar tissue (myelofibrosis). To…
Polydactyly

More than the normal number of fingers or toes. From the Greek 'polys' (many) + 'dactylos' (finger) = many fingers or, medically, too many fingers. Polydactyly is the opposite of oligodactyly (too few fingers or toes)
Polydactyly (hexadactyly)

The presence of an extra, sixth finger or toe, a very common congenital malformation (birth defect). This is called hexadactyly. The word hexadactyly literally means six digits. In medical usage, hexadactyly does not…
Polydipsia

Excessive thirst all the time. Polydipsia occurs, for example, in untreated or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus.
Polyendocrinopathy syndrome, autoimmune

A genetic autoimmune disease with an extraordinary array of clinical features but characterized most often by at least 2 of the following 3 findings: hypoparathyroidism -- underfunction of the parathyroid glands which…
Polygenic

Pertaining to two or more genes. As opposed to monogenic. Eye color is polygenic. It is by determined by a number of genes.
Polygenic disease

A genetic disease caused by the combined actions of two or more genes. Examples of polygenic diseases include coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and peptic ulcers. Because such disorders depend on the…
Polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PGA)

A genetic autoimmune disease with an extraordinary array of clinical features but characterized most often by at least 2 of the following 3 findings: hypoparathyroidism -- underfunction of the parathyroid glands which…
Polyhydramnios

Too much amniotic fluid.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

PCR
Polymerase, DNA

Enzyme that catalyzes (speeds) the polymerization of DNA. DNA polymerase uses preexisting nucleic acid templates and assembles the DNA from deoxyribonucleotides
Polymerase, RNA

Enzyme that catalyzes (speeds) the polymerization of RNA. RNA polymerase uses preexisting nucleic acid templates and assembles the RNA from ribonucleotides.
Polymorphic

Pertaining to a polymorphism, a variation in the DNA that is too common to be due merely to new mutation. A polymorphism must have a frequency of at least 1% in the population. Examples of polymorphic genes include…
Polymorphic light eruption

A variation in the DNA that is too common to be due merely to new mutation. A polymorphism must have a frequency of at least 1% in the population. Examples of polymorphisms include the genes for sickle cell disease…
Polymorphism

A variation in the DNA that is too common to be due merely to new mutation. A polymorphism must have a frequency of at least 1% in the population. Examples of polymorphisms include the genes for sickle cell disease…
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte

A type of white blood cell with a nucleus that is so deeply lobated or divided that the cell looks to have multiple nuclei. Informally called a poly.
Polymox

See: Amoxicillin
Polymyalgia

Pain in multiple muscles, as in polymyalgia rheumatica
Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)

A disorder of the muscles and joints of older persons characterized by pain and stiffness, affecting both sides of the body, and involving the shoulders, arms, neck, and buttock areas.
Polymyositis

Polymyositis: A chronic inflammatory disease of muscle that begins when white blood cells, the immune cells of inflammation, spontaneously invade muscles, especially the muscles closest to the trunk or torso, resulting…
Polyneuritis, acute idiopathic

Also known as the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder characterized by progressive symmetrical paralysis and loss of reflexes usually beginning in the legs with, in most cases, nearly complete or complete recovery. The…
Polyostotic fibrous dysplasia

A mass of tissue that develops on the inside wall of a hollow organ, as within the colon or rectum. The word polyp comes from the Greek words polys, many + pous, feet. The idea that a polyp has many feet is erroneous…