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Medical Glossary Index: T Tachycardia- a rapid heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) Tapeworm- a parasitic worm that lives in the intestines; causes diarrhea and abdominal discomfort Tar- the sticky, brown substance in cigarettes that coats the lungs; causes lung Tarsorrhaphy- a procedure in which the eyelids are sewn shut; performed to protect the corneas Tartar- the hard deposit formed on teeth when mineral salts in saliva combine Tay-Sachs disease- a severe genetic disorder that causes nervous system disturbances and death, usually before the age of 3 TB- see Tuberculosis T-cell leukemia- a type of leukemia caused by a virus in which T-lymphocytes divide uncontrollably Tear duct- a tiny passageway that drains lubricating tears from the surface of the eye to the back of the nose Telangiectasia- redness of an area of skin, caused by enlargement and proliferation of the underlying small blood vessels Temperature method- a natural method of family planning in which a woman determines her time of ovulation by changes in her daily temperature Temporal arteritis- inflammation and narrowing of arteries in the head and neck, including those in the scalp near the temple, which can cause blindness if untreated Temporomandibular joint syndrome- headache, facial pain, and jaw tenderness caused by irregularities in the way the joints, muscles, and ligaments in the jaw work together Tendinitis- inflammation of a tendon, usually caused by injury, characterized by pain, tenderness, and sometimes limited movement in the attached muscle Tendon- strong connective tissue cords that attach muscle to bone or muscle to muscle Tendon transfer- surgical cutting and repositioning of a tendon so that the Tennis elbow- a form of tendinitis that causes pain and tenderness in the elbow and forearm Tenosynovitis- inflammation of the inner lining of the sheath that covers a tendon Tenovaginitis- inflammation of the fibrous wall of the sheath that covers a tendon TENS- see Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation Tension headache- a headache caused by emotional strain or tension in the muscles of the head and neck Teratogen- anything that causes abnormalities in a developing embryo or fetus, such as a drug or virus Teratoma- a tumor composed of cells not normally found in the part of the body when the tumor occurred Termination of pregnancy- see Abortion Testicles- the two male sex organs that produce sperm and the sex hormone testosterone Testicular feminization factor- a genetic disorder in which an individual who is genetically male has the external appearance of a female because the body is unresponsive to testosterone Testicular torsion- severe pain and swelling of a testicle, due to twisting of the spermatic cord Testosterone- the sex hormone that stimulates development of male sex characteristics and bone and muscle growth; produced by the testicles and in small amounts by the ovaries Tetanus- a sometimes fatal disease affecting the brain and spinal cord; caused by infection with bacterium present in soil and manure Tetracyclines- a group of antibiotic drugs used to treat a wide variety of infections, including bronchitis and some types of pneumonia Tetralogy of Fallot- a genetic heart disease involving four structural defects in Thalamus- a structure in the brain that relays and processes incoming sensory information from the eyes and ears and from pressure and pain receptors Thalassemia- a group of genetic blood disorders characterized by a defect in Thallium scanning- a type of radionuclide scanning used to assess the heart Therapeutic range- the range of doses of a drug that will produce beneficial results without side effects Thoracoscopy- examination of the membranes covering the lungs using an endoscope Thoracotomy- a procedure in which the chest is surgically opened to operate on an organ in the chest cavity Thrill- a vibration felt when the hand is placed flat on the chest; caused by abnormal blood flow through the heart as a result of disease Thrombectomy- removal of a blood clot Thrombocytopenic purpura- a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, causing abnormal bleeding of blood vessels into the skin Thromboembolism- blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot fragment that has broken off and traveled from another area of the body Thrombophlebitis- inflammation of a vein, along with clot formation in the affected area Thrombosis- a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) has formed inside a blood vessel Thrombus- a blood clot in a blood vessel Thrush- a candidiasis infection Thymoma- a tumor of the thymus gland Thymus gland- an immune system gland located in the upper part of the chest Thyroglossal cyst- a swelling at the front of the neck; forms from a duct that f Thyroid gland- a gland located in the front of the neck below the voice box that plays an important role in metabolism (the chemical processes in the body) and growth; the gland produces thyroid hormone Thyroiditis- inflammation of the thyroid gland Thyrotoxicosis- a toxic condition resulting from overactivity of the thyroid gland Thyroxin- a hormone produced by the thyroid gland that helps regulate energy production in the body TIA- see Transient ischemic attack Tibia- the thicker of the two long bones in the lower leg; commonly called the Tic- an involuntary, repetitive movement such as a twitch Tic douloureux- see Trigeminal neuralgia Ticks- small, eight-legged animals that can attach to humans and animals and Tietze's syndrome- inflammation of the cartilage that joins ribs to the Tinea- a group of common infections occurring on the skin, hair, and nails that Tinnitus- a persistent ringing or buzzing sound in the ear Tipped uterus- an abnormal condition in which the uterus is tilted backward instead of slightly forward Tissue plasminogen activator- a substance produced by the body and as a genetically engineered drug to prevent abnormal blood clotting Tissue typing- tests used to determine the compatibility of tissues used in grafts and transplants T-lymphocyte- a type of white blood cell that fights infections and destroys abnormal cells directly; as compared with releasing antibodies to fight infection T-lymphocyte killer cell- a type of T-lymphocyte white blood cell that attaches to abnormal cells and releases chemicals that destroy them TMJ syndrome- see Temporomandibular joint syndrome Tolerance- decreased sensitivity of the body to a certain drug, usually either because the liver becomes more efficient at breaking down the drug or the body's tissues become less sensitive to it; increased tolerance creates a need for a higher dose of the drug in order to have the same effects Tonometry- the procedure used to measure the pressure within the eye; is useful in detecting glaucoma Tonsillectomy- surgical removal of the tonsils, usually to treat tonsillitis Tonsillitis- infection and inflammation of the tonsils Tonsils- masses of lymphoid tissue located at either side of the back of the throat Tourette's syndrome- a movement disorder characterized by involuntary tics Tourniquet- a device placed tightly around an arm or leg in order to stop blood flow; can be used to locate veins in order to take a blood sample or to control blood flow during some operations Toxemia- the presence of bacterial toxins in the blood Toxic epidermal necrolysis- a severe rash in which the outer layers of skin blister and peel off Toxicity- the extent to which a substance is poisonous Toxic shock syndrome- a life-threatening condition caused by a staphylococci toxin Toxin- a poisonous substance Toxocariasis- human infestation with the larvae of a worm found in the intestines of dogs Toxoplasmosis- a common protozoan infection that is usually only dangerous to TPA- see Tissue plasminogen activator Trachea- the tube running from the larynx (the voice box) down the neck and into the upper part of the chest, where it divides to form the two bronchi of the lungs; commonly called the windpipe Tracheitis- inflammation of the trachea Tracheotomy- insertion of a tube through a surgical opening in the trachea to maintain an open airway Trachoma- a persistent, contagious form of conjunctivitis that can lead to complications such as blindness if untreated Traction- the use of tension to hold a body part in place or to correct or prevent an alignment problem Transcutaneous- through the skin Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation- a method of relieving pain by applying tiny electrical impulses to nerve endings beneath the skin Transferrin- a substance in the blood that transports iron throughout the body Transient ischemic attack- a temporary block in the supply of blood to the brain, resulting in temporary loss of sensation, movement, vision, or speech; often called mini-strokes and can be precursors to a real stroke Transmissible- able to be passed from one organism to another Transplant- transferring a healthy tissue or organ to replace a damaged tissue or organ; also refers to the tissue or organ transplanted Transurethral prostatectomy- removal of cancerous tissue from the prostate gland using a resectoscope (a long, narrow instrument passed up the urethra), which allows the surgeon to simultaneously view the prostate and cut away the cancerous tissue Trauma- physical injury or emotional shock Travelers' diarrhea- diarrhea when traveling in a foreign country, caused by contaminated food or water Tremor- an involuntary, rhythmic, shaking movement caused by alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles; can be the normal result of age or the Triage- a system used to classify sick or injured people according to the severity of their conditions Trichiasis- growth of the eyelashes inward toward the cornea, causing persistent irritation of the eyeball Trichinosis- infestation by the larvae of the parasitic worm Trichinella spiralis, usually acquired by eating undercooked pork Trichomoniasis- infection of the vagina by the single-celled parasite Trichomonas vaginilis, which may cause inflammation, itchiness, and discharge from the vagina Tricuspid valve- the valve located between the two left chambers of the heart (the left atrium and the left ventricle) Tricyclic antidepressants- drugs used in the treatment of clinical depression Trigeminal neuralgia- a disorder of the trigeminal nerve (a cranial nerve) that causes brief attacks of severe pain in the lips, cheeks, gums, or chin on one side of the face Triglyceride- the main form of fat in the blood; determining levels of triglyceride is useful in diagnosing and treating diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease Trimester- one of three periods lasting about 3 months each; the stages into which pregnancy is divided Triple X syndrome- the presence of an extra X chromosome in a woman, which may cause some degree of mental retardation Trismus- the medical term for lockjaw Trisomy- the presence in the cells of three copies of a certain chromosome instead of the normal two copies Tubal ligation- a procedure in which the fallopian tubes are cut and tied off; usually a permanent form of sterilization Tubal pregnancy- a pregnancy that occurs in the fallopian tubes, with a fertilized egg implanting in the tube instead of the uterus; severely painful and can be fatal if not detected and treated Tuberculin test- skin tests performed to determine previous infection with tuberculosis; can help rule out the possibility of being currently infected with tuberculosis Tuberculosis- an infectious bacterial disease transmitted through the air that mainly affects the lungs Tuberous sclerosis- a genetic disorder of the skin and nervous system characterized by epilepsy, mental retardation, and a skin condition resembling acne Tuboplasty- surgical repair of a damaged fallopian tube to treat infertility Tumor- an abnormal mass that occurs when cells in a certain area reproduce unchecked; can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign) Tunnel vision- loss of peripheral vision so that only objects directly ahead can Turner's syndrome- a genetic disorder in women in which only one X chromosome is present, or both chromosomes are present but one is defective Tympanic membrane- the medical term for the eardrum Tympanoplasty- a surgical procedure used to treat hearing loss in which the eardrum or structures in the middle ear are repaired Typhoid fever- an acute bacterial infection causing fever, headache, abdominal discomfort, and enlargement of the liver and spleen Typhus- a group of diseases caused by the microorganism rickettsia, spread by the bites of fleas, mites, or ticks; symptoms include headache, fever, rash, and a |
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