Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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Dorland's Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA Words: 39128

ectogenous
(ek-toj´ә-nәs) exogenous.

ectomere
(ek´to-mēr) one of the blastomeres taking part in formation of the ectoderm.

ectomorph
(ek´to-morf) an individual having a type of body build in which ectodermal tissues predominate: there is relatively slight development of both the visceral and body structures, the body being linear and delicate.

ectomorphy
(ek´to-mor″fe) the condition of being an ectomorph. adj., ectomor´phic., adj.

ectoparasite
(ek″to-par´ә-sīt) a parasite living on the surface of the host's body. adj., ectoparasit´ic., adj.

ectopia
(ek-to´pe-ә) a Latin word meaning abnormal displacement, especially if congenital. ectopia cordis congenital displacement of the heart outside the thoracic cavity. ectopia lentis displacement of the crystalline lens of the eye. ectopia ...

ectopic
(ek-top´ik) pertaining to or characterized by ectopia. located away from normal position. arising or produced at an abnormal site or in a tissue where it is not normally found.

ectopic ACTH syndrome
a condition caused by production of corticotropin by cells outside the pituitary, such as those of carcinoma of the lung; depending on its duration, it may be subtle, resembling true Cushing disease, but hypokalemic alkalosis and weakness are often prominent.

ectopic beat
a heartbeat originating at some point other than the sinus node.

ectopic hormone
one secreted by a tumor of nonendocrine tissues but having the same physiologic effects as the normally produced counterpart; this type of hormone does not respond to the feedback mechanisms that regulate normal hormonal production and causes added complications to a cancer patient.

ectopic impulse
the impulse that causes an ectopic beat. a pathologic nerve impulse that begins in the middle of an axon and proceeds simultaneously towards the cell body and the periphery.

ectopic kidney
a kidney that is not in the usual position, such as one found in the abdomen, lumbar, or pelvic region

ectopic ossification
a pathological condition in which bone arises in tissues not in the osseous system and in connective tissues usually not manifesting osteogenic properties.

ectopic pacemaker
any biological cardiac pacemaker other than the sinoatrial node; under normal conditions it is not active.

ectopic pregnancy
pregnancy in which the fertilized oocyte becomes implanted outside the uterus instead of in the wall of the uterus; this is almost always in a fallopian tube (tubal pregnancy), although occasionally the embryo develops in the abdominal cavity, ovary, or cervix uteri. Called also extrauterine pregnancy. ...

ectopic rhythm
a heart rhythm initiated by a focus outside the sinoatrial node.

ectopic tachycardia
tachycardia in response to impulses arising outside the sinoatrial node.

ectopic testis
one lodged in a location outside of the normal pathway of descent.

ectopy
(ek´to-pe) ectopia.

ectosteal
(ek-tos´te-әl) pertaining to or situated outside a bone.

ectostosis
(ek″to-sto´sis) ossification beneath the perichondrium of a cartilage or the periosteum of a bone.

ectotherm
(ek´to-thәrm) an animal that exhibits ectothermy. poikilotherm.

ectothermic
(ek″to-thur´mik) pertaining to or characterized by ectothermy. poikilothermic.

ectothermy
(ek″to-thur´me) the regulation of body temperature by the external environment, so that thermoregulation can be accomplished only by the organism's own behavior (such as moving into a different environment). poikilothermy.

ectothrix
(ek´to-thriks) a fungus that grows inside the shaft of a hair, but produces a conspicuous external sheath of spores.

ectozoon
(ek″to-zo´on) ectoparasite.

ectrodactyly
(ek″tro-dak´tә-le) congenital absence of all or part of a digit.

ectrogeny
(ek-troj´ә-ne) congenital absence or defect of a part. adj., ectrogen´ic., adj.

ectromelia
(ek″tro-me´le-ә) gross hypoplasia or aplasia of one or more long bones of one or more limbs. adj., ectromel´ic., adj.

ectromelus
(ek-trom´ә-lәs) an individual with rudimentary upper and lower limbs.

ectropion
(ek-tro´pe-on) eversion or turning outward, as of the margin of an eyelid. cervical ectropion eversion of the cervical canal, with more columnar epithelium than normal outside the external os.

eczema
(ek´zә-mә) a superficial inflammatory process involving primarily the epidermis, marked early by redness, itching, minute papules and vesicles, weeping, oozing, and crusting, and later by scaling, lichenification, and often pigmentation. This is a common allergic reaction in children, and it may also occur i...

eczema herpeticum
(ek´zә-mә hәr-pet´ĭ-kәm) Kaposi varicelliform eruption caused by infection with a human herpesvirus.

eczema marginatum
(ek´zә-mә mahr″jĭ-na´tәm) tinea cruris.

eczema vaccinatum
(ek´zә-mә vak″sĭ-na´tәm) Kaposi varicelliform eruption caused by infection with the vaccinia virus.

eczematoid
(ek-zem´ә-toid) resembling eczema.

eczematous
(ek-zem´ә-tәs) characterized by or of the nature of eczema.

ED
effective dose; emergency department; erectile dysfunction; erythema dose.

ED50
median effective dose.

ED90
the dose of a therapeutic agent that eradicates 90 per cent of the target pathogen.

EDC
estimated (or expected) date of confinement; see Nägele rule.

EDD
estimated (or expected) date of delivery; see Nägele rule.

Eddowes syndrome
(ed´ōz) osteogenesis imperfecta, type I.

Edebohls position
a dorsal position with knees and thighs drawn up, lower limbs flexed on thighs, and thighs flexed on abdomen; the hips are raised and the thighs abducted. Called also Simon position.

edema
(ә-de´mә) the accumulation of excess fluid in a body compartment; it may be in the cells (cellular edema), in the intercellular spaces within tissues (interstitial edema), or in potential spaces within the body. Edema may also be classified by location, such as pulmonary edema, cerebral edema, ascites, hydrothorax...

edema neonatorum
(ә-de´mә ne″o-na-tor´әm) a disease of premature and feeble infants that resembles sclerema and is marked by spreading edema with cold, livid skin.

edemagen
(ә-de´mә-jen) an irritant that elicits edema by causing capillary damage but not the cellular response of true inflammation.

edematogenic
(ә-dem″ә-to-jen´ik) producing or causing edema.

edentia
(e-den´shә) anodontia.

edentulism
(e-den´tu-liz-әm) the condition of being without teeth.

edentulous
(e-den´tu-lәs) without teeth.

edetate
(ed´ә-tāt) USAN contraction for ethylenediaminetetraacetate, a salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA); the salts include edetate disodium calcium, used in the diagnosis and treatment of lead poisoning, and edetate disodium, used in the treatment hypercalcemia because of its affinity for calcium.

edetic acid
(ә-det´ik) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

edge-to-edge bite
occlusion in which the incisors of both jaws are closed.

edisylate
(ә-dis´ә-lāt) USAN contraction for 1,2-ethanedisulfonate.

edrophonium
(ed″ro-fo´ne-әm) a cholinergic used in the form of the chloride salt as a curare antagonist and diagnostic agent in myasthenia gravis.

Edsall disease
(ed´sәl) heat cramp.

EDTA
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.

Edwards syndrome
(ed´wәrdz) trisomy 18 syndrome.

Edwardsiella
(ed-wahrd″se-el´ә) a genus of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria, which are pathogenic for aquatic animals and are occasional opportunistic pathogens for humans; E. tar´da can cause acute gastroenteritis and septic infections.

EEC syndrome
a congenital syndrome inherited as an autosomal dominant trait involving both ectodermal and mesodermal tissues, which consists of ectodermal dysplasia associated with hypopigmentation of the skin and hair, scanty hair and eyebrows, absence of lashes, nail dystrophy, hypo- and microdontia, ectrodactyly, and cleft lip and ...

EEE virus
eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus.

EEG
electroencephalogram.

eelworm
(ēl´wәrm) roundworm.

EENT
eye, ear, nose, and throat.

efavirenz
(ef´ә-vi″renz) ef´ah-vi″renz a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, used as an antiretroviral in treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection; administered orally.

effacement
(ә-fās´mәnt) the obliteration of form or features; said of the cervix uteri during labor when it shortens from 1 or 2 cm in length to paper thin and there is no longer a cervical canal but only an external cervical os.

effect
(ә-fekt´) a result produced by an action.

effective dose
(ED) the amount of a drug or agent that will produce the effects for which it is administered. See also median effective dose.

effective refractory period
absolute refractory period.

effective static compliance
(ESC) an estimate of lung compliance calculated by dividing the exhaled tidal volume by the difference in inspiratory plateau pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure; used to reflect gross changes in lung compliance when chest wall compliance is controlled and remains relatively constant.

effectiveness
(ә-fek´tiv-nәs) the ability to produce a specific result or to exert a specific measurable influence. relative biological effectiveness an expression of the effectiveness of other types of radiation in comparison with that of gamma or x-rays. Abbreviated RBE.

effector
(ә-fek´tәr) an agent that mediates a specific effect, as an allosteric effector or an effector cell. an organ that produces an effect, such as contraction or secretion, in response to nerve stimulation; see also receptor. allosteric effector one that binds to an ...

effector cell
a cell that becomes active in response to stimulation. in immunology, a differentiated T lymphocyte that carries out some part of the immune response.

effector organ
a muscle or gland that contracts or secretes, respectively, in direct response to nerve impulses.

effemination
(ә-fem″ĭ-na´shәn) feminization (def. 2).

efferent
(ef´әr-әnt) conducting or progressing away from a center or specific site of reference, such as an efferent nerve; called also centrifugal. See also afferent and corticifugal. a fiber or nerve that so conducts.

efferent duct
any duct that gives outlet to a glandular secretion.

efferent fibers
efferent nerve fibers nerve fibers that conduct motor impulses to muscles. Called also motor fibers.

efferent glomerular arteriole
one arising from a renal glomerulus, breaking up into capillaries to supply renal tubules.

efferent nerve
any nerve that carries impulses from the central nervous system toward the periphery, such as a motor nerve.

efferent neuron
a neuron that conducts nerve impulses that originated at the center and are proceeding towards the periphery; see also efferent fibers and motoneuron.

effervescent
(ef″әr-ves´әnt) bubbling; sparkling; giving off gas bubbles.

efficacy
(ef´ĭ-kә-se) the ability of a drug to achieve the desired effect. Dose-effect curve for two drugs of different efficacy: The efficacy of drug A is greater than that of drug B. the degree to which an intervention accomplishes the desired or projected outcomes.

effleurage
(ef-ldbobr-rahzh´) stroking movement in massage. During childbirth, a light circular stroke of the lower abdomen, done in rhythm to control breathing, to aid in relaxation of the abdominal muscles, and to increase concentration during a uterine contraction. The stroking is accomplished by moving the wrist only. Co...

efflorescence
(ef″lo-res´әns) the quality of being efflorescent. development of a rash or eruption.

efflorescent
(ef″lo-res´әnt) becoming powdery by losing the water of crystallization. developing into a rash.

effluent
(ef´floo-әnt) something that flows out, especially a discharge that carries waste products.

effluvium
(ә-floo´ve-әm) a shedding, especially of the hair; see also alopecia. effluent.

effort proteinuria
functional proteinuria occurring as a result of vigorous and prolonged exercise of the lower limbs; called also athletic proteinuria.

effort syndrome
neurocirculatory asthenia.

effusion
(ә-fu´zhәn) escape of a fluid into a part; exudation or transudation. an exudate or transudate. chyliform effusion see chylothorax. chylous effusion see chylothorax. pericardial effusion the accumula...

effusive constrictive pericarditis
a type characterized by pericardial effusion with visceral pericardial constriction, which causes elevation of right atrial pressure even after pericardiocentesis; this often leads to chronic constrictive pericarditis.

eflornithine
(ef-lor´nĭ-thēn″) an inhibitor of the enzyme catalyzing the decarboxylation of ornithine; used topically as the hydrochloride salt to reduce unwanted facial hair in females. It has also been administered intravenously in treatment of African trypanosomiasis.

Efudex
(ef´u-deks) trademark for a preparation of fluorouracil, an antineoplastic agent.

EGD
esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

egestion
(e-jes´chәn) the casting out of undigested material. excretion (def. 2).

egg
(eg) ovum.

egg white syndrome
biotin deficiency; see biotin.

ego
(e´go) in psychoanalytic theory, one of the three major parts of the personality, the others being the id and the superego. The ego is represented by mental mechanisms such as perception and memory, and by specific defense mechanisms that are used to adjust to the demands of primitive instinctual drives (the id) and the deman...