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

Spot, histo

See: Histo spot
Spots in front of the eyes

Also known as 'floaters', blurry spots that drift in front of the eyes but do not block vision. The blur is the result of debris from the vitreous casting a shadow on the retina. The spot is the image formed by a…
Spots, Brushfield's

Speckled iris. Little white spots that slightly elevated on the surface of the iris and are arranged in a ring concentric with the pupil. These spots occur in normal children but are far more frequent in Down's syndrome…
Spots, Koplik's

Little spots inside the mouth that are highly characteristic of the early (prodromal) phase of measles (rubeola). The spots look like a tiny grains of white sand, each surrounded by a red ring. They are found especially…
Spotted fever

Fever: Also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. An acute febrile (feverish) disease initially recognized in the Rocky Mountain states, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii transmitted by hard-shelled (ixodid) ticks…
Sprain

An injury to a ligament that results from overuse or trauma. Sprains occurs when there is a stretch or tear in one or more ligaments, slightly elastic bands of tissue that keep the bones in place while permitting…
Sprain, ankle

See: Ankle sprain
Sprain, metatarsophalangeal joint

See: Metatarsophalangeal joint sprain
Sprained ankle

Sprained ankle: See: Ankle sprain.
Sprue, nontropical

This condition results from an immune (allergic) reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat and related grains and present in many foods that we eat. Sprue causes impaired absorption and digestion of nutrients through…
Spur, heel

A bony spur projecting from the back or underside of the heel that often makes walking painful. Spurs at the back of the heel are associated with inflammation of the Achilles tendon (Achilles tendinitis) and cause…
Sputum

The mucus and other matter brought up from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea that one may cough up and spit out or swallow. The word 'sputum' is borrowed directly from the Latin 'to spit.' Called also expectoration
Squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer that begins in squamous cells -- thin, flat cells that look under the microscope like fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the…
Squamous cell carcinoma in situ

An early stage of skin cancer. Also known as Bowen's disease. This is a tumor that develops from the squamous cells which are flat, scalelike cells in the outer layer of the skin (the epithelium). The term 'in situ'…
Squamous cells

Flat cells that look like fish scales. The word 'squamous' came from the Latin squama meaning 'the scale of a fish or serpent.' We have a lot of squamous cells. They make up most of the cells in the outer layer of the…
Squamous intraepithelial lesion

A general term for the abnormal growth of squamous cells on the surface of the cervix. The changes in the cells are described as low grade or high grade, depending on how much of the cervix is affected and how abnormal…
Squamous-cell carcinoma

See: Squamous cell carcinoma
Squawroot

See: Blue cohosh
SRAS

Syndrome respiratoire aigu severe (in French). In English, severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS
SRY

Sex region Y, a region on the Y chromosome that determines the sex of the individual. SRY is necessary and sufficient for male sex determination. It is the testis-determining factor. Mutations in SRY give rise to XY…
SSPE

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a chronic brain disease of children and adolescents that occurs months to often years after an attack of measles, causing convulsions, motor abnormalities, mental retardation and…
SSRI

A flowering plant, Hypericum perforatum, also known as Perforate St John's wort, that has long been believed to have medicinal qualities. There is, in fact, some evidence that St John's wort may possibly be useful in…
St John's wort

A flowering plant, Hypericum perforatum, also known as Perforate St John's wort, that has long been believed to have medicinal qualities. There is, in fact, some evidence that St John's wort may possibly be useful in…
St. Anthony's fire

The intensely painful burning sensation in the limbs and extremities caused by ergot, the consequence of a fungus (Claviceps purpurea) that contaminates rye and wheat. The fungus produces substances (alkaloids) termed…
St. Joseph Moscati

See: Moscati, St. Joseph
St. Louis encephalitis

A disease caused by a virus (first observed in Illinois in 1932) transmitted from birds to the common Culex mosquito to people. St. Louis encephalitis occurs typically in the summer and early fall. In the U.S., the…
St. Vitus dance

Another name for Sydenham chorea. St. Vitus is the patron saint of epileptics, dancers, and actors
Stachybotrys

An antigenic green-black mold that grows on wood, paper and cotton products provided there is constant moisture. Stachybotrys can produce toxic chemicals called mycotoxins that are present on spores and small fragments…
Staff of Aesculapius

A rod or stick with the snake curled around it is the staff (the rod) of Aesculapius (also called Asklepios), the ancient god of medicine. His Greek name was Asklepios and his Roman name Aesculapius. In reality…
Stage

As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spread from the original site to other parts of the body. See also: Staging
Stage of dilatation

The part of labor when the cervix dilates fully (to 10 centimeters). Also called the first stage of labor
Stage of expulsion

See: Second stage of labor
Staging

In regard to cancer, the process of doing examinations and tests to learn the extent of the cancer, especially whether it has metastasized (spread) from its original site to other parts of the body
Staging, laparoscopic

See: Laparoscopic staging
Stain, Gram

The Danish bacteriologist J.M.C. Gram (1853- 1938) devised a method of staining bacteria using a dye called crystal (gentian) violet. Gram's method helps distinguish between different types of bacteria. The…
Standard of care

1. A diagnostic and treatment process that a clinician should follow for a certain type of patient, illness, or clinical circumstance. Adjuvant chemotherapy for lung cancer is 'a new standard of care, but not…
Stanley B. Prusiner

See: Prusiner, Stanley B.
Stanolone

A semisynthetic analog of dihydrotestosterone
Stapes

A stirrup-shaped bone in the middle ear. The stapes transmits sound vibrations from the incus, another little bone in the middle ear, to the oval window adjacent to the inner ear. The stapes is the smallest bone in the…
Staph

Very commonly used shortened form of Staphylococcus, a very common and important group of bacteria. See Staphylococcus
Staph infection

Staph infection: A staph infection is an infection with a Staphylococcal bacteria.
Staphylococcal infection

Infection with one of the Staphylococcal bacteria. Staph infection can cause pus-filled abscesses on the skin or internal organs, and can migrate through the blood to infect the heart, meninges, and other areas…
Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome

An infection of the skin with group II Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bacteria release toxins, causing inflamed, scaling skin that looks as though it has been burned. It is more common in children than in adults…
Staphylococcus

A group of bacteria that cause a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope, Staphylococcus bacteria are round and bunched together. They can cause illness directly by infection, or indirectly through products they make…
Staphylococcus, antibiotic-resistant

Form of the Staphylococcus bacteria that is unaffected by commonly used antibiotics. Antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus is a growing problem, particularly in hospitals where Staph infections can run rampant. Treatment…
Stargardt disease

An hereditary eye disease that is one of the most frequent causes of macular degeneration in childhood. (The macula is the part of the retina that is responsible for central vision.) The disease has its onset between…
STARI

See: Hypnic jerk.
Start, sleep

See: Hypnic jerk
Startle disease

A genetic disorder also known as hyperexplexia in which babies have an exaggerated startle reflex (reaction). This disorder was not recognized until 1962 when it was described by Drs. Kok and Bruyn as a disease with the…
Startle reflex

A reflex seen in normal infants in response to a loud noise. The infant with make a sudden body movement, bringing the legs and arms toward the chest.