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

incurable
(in-kūr´ә-bәl) not susceptible of being cured.

incus
(ing´kәs) the middle of the three auditory ossicles in the middle ear. Called also anvil.

indanedione
(in″dān-di´ōn) any of a group of synthetic anticoagulants derived from 1,3-indanedione, such as anisindione. They act by impairing hepatic synthesis of the vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors (prothrombin and factors VII, IX, and X).

indapamide
(in-dap´ә-mīd) a thiazide diuretic used in treatment of edema, such as in congestive heart failure or liver disease, as well as of hypertension.

independent
(in″dә-pen´dәnt) freestanding, capable of functioning in an autonomous fashion. a process or activity that can be implemented without the assistance of another.

independent living facilities
congregate housing.

independent variable
in a mathematical equation or relationship between two or more variables, any variable whose value determines that of others; it represents the treatment or experimental variable that is manipulated by the researcher to create an effect on the dependent variable.

Inderal
(in´dәr-awl) trademark for preparations of propranolol hydrochloride, a beta-adrenergic blocking agent.

index
(in´deks) pl. indexes, in´dices the numerical ratio of measurement of any part in comparison with a fixed standard. forefinger.

index finger
forefinger.

Indian operation
Indian rhinoplasty the reconstruction of a nose by a flap of skin taken from the forehead, with its pedicle at the root of the nose.

Indiana pouch
a type of continent urinary diversion in which part of the ileum and cecum is modified to form a pouch and the ureters are implanted into it in a nonrefluxing manner. A continence stoma to the abdomen is created by intussusception of a small segment of intestine or by modification of the ileocecal orifice.

indican
(in´dĭ-kәn) a substance formed by decomposition of tryptophan in the intestines and excreted in the urine. a yellow indoxyl glycoside from indigo plants.

indican test
see specific tests, including Jaffe test (def. 2) and Weber test (def. 2).

indicanuria
(in″dĭ-kә-nu´re-ә) an excess of indican in the urine.

indication
(in″dĭ-ka´shәn) something that implies or definitely demonstrates the cause, treatment, or some other aspect of a disease.

indicator
(in´dĭ-ka″tәr) the index finger, or the extensor muscle of the index finger. any substance that indicates the appearance or disappearance of a chemical by a color change or attainment of a certain pH. prognostic indicators factors such as staging, tumor type...

indicator dilution curve
a graphic representation of the concentration of an indicator substance added in known quantity to the circulatory system and measured over time; used in studies of cardiovascular function.

indifférence
(ă-de″fa-rahns´) French word meaning indifference. la belle indifférence an inappropriately complacent attitude towards their condition and physical symptoms, seen in patients with conversion disorder.

indifferent cell
a cell that has no characteristic structure, or that is not an essential part of the tissue in which it is found.

indifferent electrode
one larger than a therapeutic electrode, dispersing electrical stimulation over a larger area.

indifferent tissue
undifferentiated embryonic tissue.

indigestion
(in″dĭ-jes´chәn) lack or failure of digestive function; commonly used to denote vague abdominal discomfort after meals. Symptoms include heartburn, nausea, flatulence, cramps, a disagreeable taste in the mouth, belching, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea.

indigitation
(in-dij″ĭ-ta´shәn) intussusception (def. 1).

indigotindisulfonate sodium
(in″dĭ-go″tin-di-sul´fo-nāt) a bluish dye used as a diagnostic aid in cystoscopy.

indinavir
(in-din´nә-vir) an HIV protease inhibitor that causes the virus to form noninfectious particles; used orally as the sulfate salt in the treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.

indirect antiglobulin test
see Coombs test.

indirect fluorescent antibody test
see immunofluorescence.

indirect fracture
one distant from the site of injury.

indirect hernia
indirect inguinal hernia an inguinal hernia that goes into the inguinal canal by an indirect route, leaving the abdomen through the deep inguinal ring and passing down obliquely through the inguinal canal lateral to the inferior epigastric artery. Called also oblique or oblique inguinal hernia.

indirect reflex
crossed reflex.

indirect vision
peripheral vision.

indium
(In) (in´de-әm) a chemical element, atomic number 49, atomic weight 114.82. indium 111 an artificial isotope of indium, having a half-life of 2.81 days and emitting gamma rays; it is used as a radioactive tracer in nuclear medicine.

indium-111 antimyosin antibody
a monoclonal antibody against myosin, labeled with indium 111; it binds selectively to irreversibly damaged myocytes and is used in infarct avid scintigraphy.

individual psychology
the psychiatric theory of Alfred Adler, stressing compensation and overcompensation for feelings of inferiority and the interpersonal nature of a person's problems.

individuation
(in″dĭ-vid″u-a´shәn) the process of developing individual characteristics. differential regional activity in the embryo occurring in response to organizer influence. in jungian psychology, the process of maturation and development and realization of the individual personality...

Indocin
(in´do-sin) trademark for preparations of indomethacin, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug.

indocyanine green
(in″do-si´ah-nēn) a dye used intravenously as a diagnostic aid in the determination of blood volume, cardiac output, and hepatic function.

indole
(in´dōl) a compound obtained from coal tar and indigo and produced by decomposition of tryptophan in the intestine, where it contributes to the peculiar odor of feces. It is excreted in the urine in the form of indican.

indole test
see specific tests, including Nencki test, nitroso-indole-nitrate test, pine wood test, and Salkowski test (def. 3).

indolent
(in´do-lәnt) causing little pain. slow growing.

indomethacin
(in″do-meth´ә-sin) a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and various other rheumatic and nonrheumatic inflammatory conditions, dysmenorrhea, and vascular headache. The trihydrated sodium salt is used to induce closure in certain ...

indoxyl
(in-dok´sәl) an oxidation product of indole formed in tryptophan decomposition, and excreted in the urine as indican.

indoxyluria
(in-dok″sә-lu´re-ә) an excess of indoxyl in the urine.

induced abortion
abortion brought on intentionally by medication or instrumentation.

induced enzyme
inducible enzyme one whose production requires or is stimulated by a specific small molecule, the inducer, which is the substrate of the enzyme or a compound structurally related to it.

induced hypothermia
deliberate reduction of the temperature of all or part of the body; sometimes used as an adjunct to anesthesia in surgical procedures involving a limb, and as a protective measure in cardiac and neurologic surgery. The hypothermia may be continued only for the duration of the operation or it may be prolonged for as long as 5 da...

induced labor
that which is brought on by extraneous means, such as by the use of drugs that cause uterine contractions.

induced psychotic disorder
shared psychotic disorder.

inducer
(in-dldbomacs´әr) a molecule that induces synthesis of a specific enzyme or sequence of enzymes, by antagonizing the corresponding repressor, or by some other mechanism.

induction
(in-duk´shәn) the process or act of causing to occur. the production of a specific effect in an embryo by an organizer or other force. the production of anesthesia or unconsciousness by use of appropriate agents. labor induction the initiation or intensif...

induction therapy
the first therapeutic measure used to treat a disease, especially when combined modality therapy is planned. Called also first line therapy.

inductor
(in-duk´tәr) a tissue elaborating a chemical substance that acts to determine the growth and differentiation of embryonic parts.

indurated
(in´du-rāt″әd) hardened; abnormally hard. Called also sclerous.

induration
(in″du-ra´shәn) the quality of being hard. the process of becoming hard; called also hardening and sclerosis. an abnormally hard spot or place. adj., indura´tive., adj.

indusium griseum
(in-doo´ze-әm gris´e-әm) a thin layer of gray matter on the dorsal surface of the corpus callosum.

indwelling
(in´dwel-ing) pertaining to a catheter or other tube left within an organ or body passage for drainage, maintenance of patency, or administration of drugs or nutrients.

indwelling catheter
a urethral catheter designed to be held in place to drain urine from the bladder.

inebriant
(in-e´bre-әnt) causing alcohol intoxication. an agent that has that effect.

inebriation
(in-e″bre-a´shәn) alcohol intoxication.

inelastic
(in″e-las´tik) lacking elasticity.

inert
(in-urt´) inactive.

inertia
(in-ur´shә) inactivity; inability to move spontaneously. colonic inertia weak muscular activity of the colon, leading to distention of the organ and constipation. uterine inertia sluggishness of uterine contractions in labor.

inertia time
the time required to overcome the inertia of a muscle after reception of a stimulus.

inevitable abortion
a condition in which vaginal bleeding has been profuse, membranes usually show gross rupturing, the cervix has become dilated, and abortion is almost certain.

infancy
(in´fәn-se) the first 12 months of life.

infant
(in´fәnt) a human child from birth to the end of the first year of life.

infant death rate
infant mortality rate the ratio of the number of deaths in one year of children less than one year of age to the number of live births in that year.

infantile
(in´fәn-tīl) relating to infancy; having features or traits characteristic of early childhood.

infantile acne
acne vulgaris in infants after three months of age; this type usually has lesions that are more prominent than those of neonatal acne and may result in scarring.

infantile atrophy
marasmus.

infantile celiac disease
celiac disease in infants.

infantile cerebral ataxic paralysis
cerebral palsy with ataxia.

infantile dwarf
a dwarf with infantilism, such as hypophysial infantilism.

infantile embryonal carcinoma
yolk sac tumor.

infantile genetic agranulocytosis
a severe congenital condition of virtual absence of neutrophils from the blood; most children born with this condition die of infection before reaching adulthood. Called also congenital neutropenia and Kostmann syndrome or neutropenia.

infantile glaucoma
congenital glaucoma.

infantile hernia
an indirect inguinal hernia behind the funicular process of the peritoneum.

infantile lobar emphysema
congenital lobar emphysema.

infantile paralysis
the major form of poliomyelitis.

infantile pelvis
a generally contracted pelvis with an oval shape, a high sacrum, and inclination of the walls; called also juvenile pelvis.

infantile scurvy
a nutritional disease of infants characterized by the same symptoms as scurvy in adults; called also Barlow disease.

infantile spasms
infantile massive spasms a syndrome of severe myoclonus appearing in the first 18 months of life, and associated with general cerebral deterioration; it is marked by severe flexion spasms of the head, neck, and trunk and extension of the arms and legs. Called also jackknife seizures.

infantile spinal muscular atrophy
Werdnig-Hoffmann spinal muscular atrophy.

infantile spinal paralysis
spinal poliomyelitis.

infantilism
(in´fәn-tĭ-liz″әm) (in-fan´tĭ-liz″әm) persistence of the characteristics of childhood into adult life, marked by mental retardation, underdevelopment of the reproductive organs, and often dwarfism. hypophysial infantilism , pi...

infarct
(in´fahrkt) a localized area of ischemic necrosis produced by anoxia following occlusion of the arterial supply or the venous drainage of the tissue, organ, or part. anemic infarct one due to sudden interruption of arterial circulation to the area. hemorrhagic infarct...

infarct avid imaging
infarct avid scintigraphy that performed following myocardial infarction to confirm infarction as well as detect, localize, and quantify regions of myocardial necrosis. A radiotracer that concentrates in these regions, usually technetium 99mTc pyrophosphate, is administered intravenously and images are obtained with a gamma came...

infarctectomy
(in″fahrk-tek´tә-me) surgical removal of an infarct.

infarction
(in-fahrk´shәn) infarct. formation of an infarct.

infect
(in-fekt´) to invade and produce infection in. to transmit a pathogen or disease to.

infected abortion
abortion associated with infection of the genital tract from retained material, with a febrile reaction.

infected aneurysm
one produced by growth of microorganisms in the vessel wall, usually bacteria or fungi (see bacterial aneurysm and mycotic aneurysm); sometimes these arise within a preexisting arteriosclerotic aneurysm.

infection
(in-fek´shәn) invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues; see also infectious disease.

infection control
the use of surveillance, investigation, and compilation of statistical data in order to reduce the spread of infection, particularly nosocomial infections.

infectious
(in-fek´shәs) caused by or capable of being communicated by infection. infective (def. 1).

infectious arthritis
arthritis caused by bacteria, rickettsiae, mycoplasmas, viruses, fungi, or parasites.

infectious disease
one due to organisms ranging in size from viruses to parasitic worms; it may be contagious in origin, result from nosocomial organisms, or be due to endogenous microflora from the nose and throat, skin, or bowel. An emerging infectious disease is one that is endemic in a given population but that has begun increasing in frequen...

infectious eczematous dermatitis
a pustular, eczema-like eruption arising from a primary lesion that is the source of an infectious exudate.

infectious endocarditis
infective endocarditis that due to infection with microorganisms, especially bacteria or fungi. The acute form may be due to staphylococci, pneumococci, gonococci, streptococci, other bacteria, or other microorganisms; the subacute form may be caused by viridans streptococci, fungi, or other microorganisms.