Medical terms - Letter S | MedicalVocabulary.org

S1-S5 (sacral vertebrae)

The first sacral vertebra through the fifth sacral vertebra. There are 5 sacral vertebral bones. They are represented by the symbols S1 through S5. The sacral vertebrae are situated in the spinal column just below the…
SA node

The SA node (SA stands for sinoatrial) is one of the major elements in the cardiac conduction system, the system that controls the heart rate. This stunningly designed system generates electrical impulses and conducts…
SAA

1.Serum amyloid A (an acute-phase protein which increases early in the course of inflammation). 2. Spondylitis Association of America (for improving the lives of people with ankylosing spondylitis and related conditions…
Saami health

See: Artic health
Sabin

1. Sabin, Albert.2. Sabin, Florence R.
Sabin vaccine

The oral polio vaccine developed by Dr. Albert S. Sabin. The first vaccine against poliomyelitis was introduced by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1955 and was administered by injection (in 4 separate shots). The oral vaccine was…
Sabin, Albert

(1906-93) Pioneering researcher on viruses and viral diseases who developed the oral live-virus vaccine against polio. Sabin's vaccine came to be preferred over the alternative killed-virus vaccine developed by his…
Sabin, Florence R.

Sandy or gritty. For example, the sludge in bile may be sabulous. And the stony sediment in urine may be sabulous. From the Latin "sabulum" for "sand."
Sabulous

Sandy or gritty. For example, the sludge in bile may be sabulous. And the stony sediment in urine may be sabulous. From the Latin 'sabulum' for 'sand.
Sac, amniotic

Amniotic sac
Sac, dural

See: Dural sac
Sac, egg

See: Egg sac
Sac, pericardial

See: Pericardial sac
Sac, yolk

See: Yolk sac
Saccade

Abrupt rapid small movements of both eyes, such as when the eyes scan a line of print. The saccades can be divided into two distinct groups: the major saccades that are easily observed with the naked eye and the minor…
Saccadic movement

See: Saccade
Saccharin

An artificial sweetener which diluted in water is 300-500 times sweeter than the sugar sucrose. (Saccharin is o-sulfobenzimide; 2,3-dihydro-3-oxobenzisosulfonazole.) The US government removed saccharin from its list of…
Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Baker's yeast. The simplest single-cell organism that operates in a manner similar to a human cell and therefore an important model organism in genetics and molecular biology. The Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome has…
Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome

See: Yeast genome
Saccular

From the Latin 'sacculus' meaning a small pouch. As for example the alveolar saccules (little air pouches) within the lungs
Saccular aneurysm

An aneurysm that resembles a small sack. A berry aneurysm is typically saccular. An aneurysm is a localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, vein, or the heart. At the area of an aneurysm, there is typically a bulge…
Sacral

Referring to the sacrum, the 5 vertebral bones situated between the lumbar vertebrae and the coccyx (the lowest segment of the vertebral column). The 5 sacral vertebrae are represented by the symbols S1 through S5…
Sacral agenesis

See agenesis, sacral
Sacral vertebrae

There are 5 sacral vertebral bones. They are represented by the symbols S1 through S5 and are situated between the lumbar vertebrae and the coccyx (the lowest segment of the vertebral column). The sacral vertebrae are…
Sacrococcygeal

Pertaining to both the sacrum and coccyx (the tailbone). Teratomas are often in the sacrococcygeal region in children
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)

: Pain arising from abnormalities or
Sacroiliac joint pain

: See sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
Sacrum

The large heavy bone at the base of the spine, which is made up of fused sacral vertebrae. The sacrum is located in the vertebral column, between the lumbar vertebrae and the coccyx. It is roughly triangular in shape…
SAD

A sore on a horse caused by an ill-fitting saddle. Also called a saddle sore.
Saddle gall

A sore on a horse caused by an ill-fitting saddle. Also called a saddle sore
Saddle sore

1. Sore from riding on a saddle such as on a horse or bike. 2. A sore on a horse caused by an ill-fitting saddle. Also called saddle gall
Safe sex

1. A sexual practice designed to reduce the risk of catching sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 2. A sexual practice that does not involve the exchange of bodily fluids, including blood, sperm, vaginal secretions…
Safer sex

See: Safe sex
Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale

A 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This scale is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the…
Saffron

An extremely costly yellow spice derived from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Saffron has long been used in cooking and was once a treatment for a long list of diseases. It was used in medicine…
Sagittal

A crucial large vein that goes over the top of the skull from front to back and then splits to take blood from the brain back toward the heart.
Sagittal sinus

A crucial large vein that goes over the top of the skull from front to back and then splits to take blood from the brain back toward the heart
Salaam

In a medical context, a seizure that looks like a sudden deep bow from the waist. Salaam seizures are characteristic of infantile spasms
Salaam seizure

See: Infantile spasms
Salabrasion

A technique in which salt or a salt solution is used to abrade the skin, for example to remove the pigment from a tattoo or permanent makeup
Salicylic acid

A substance obtained from plants (white willow back and wintergreen leaves) and also synthesized which is versatile and possesses bacteriostatic, fungicidal, and keratolytic actions. Salicylic acid is used as a food…
Salient

Standing out. Projecting. When the true nature of a disease is poorly understood, it is often classified by its salient external features
Saline

Relating to salt. As an adjective, 'saline' means 'salty, containing salt.' As a noun 'saline' is a salt solution, often adjusted to the normal salinity of the human body. Salt, in medicine, is referring to sodium…
Saliva

A watery secretion in the mouth produced by the salivary glands that aids in the digestion of food. Saliva also serves to moisten and cleanse the mouth, including the tongue and teeth, and contains substances that can…
Salivary gland

One of the glands in the mouth that produce saliva. There are 3 major salivary glands. They are the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. Each of these glands is paired; there is one parotid gland on each side…
Salk Institute

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies , a prominent independent non-profit institution doing basic science research concerned with human health. The Institute in La Jolla, California was founded in 1960 by Dr. Jonas…
Salk vaccine

Vaccine against poliomyelitis named for Dr. Jonas Salk who developed and introduced it in 1955. It was the first type of polio vaccine to become available. It was made by cultivating three strains of the virus…
Salmon safety

The safety of eating salmon, especially farm-raised salmon. The levels of more than 50 pollutants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were determined in some 700 salmon from around the world. The results…
Salmonella

Salmonella: A group of bacteria that cause typhoid fever and a number of other illnesses, including food poisoning, gastroenteritis and enteric fever from contaminated food products. Named for the American pathologist…
Salmonella genome

The entire genetic complement (the DNA) of Salmonella bacteria. The genomes of two strains of Salmonella bacteria have been sequenced. One strain is responsible for typhoid; the other causes food poisoning. The two…