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

physiognomy
(fiz″e-og´nә-me) facial expression and appearance as a means of diagnosis. the attempt to determine temperament and character on the basis of facial features.

physiologic
(fiz″e-o-loj´ik) pertaining to physiology; normal; not pathologic.

physiologic anemia
the normocytic, normochromic anemia that occurs in infants at the age of two or three months, owing to normal depression of erythropoiesis and hemoglobin synthesis, probably resulting as an adjustment to the changeover from placental to pulmonary oxygenation.

physiologic atrophy
atrophy caused by normal physiologic processes, such as pregnancy or aging.

physiologic dead space
the sum of the anatomic and alveolar dead spaces; its volume (VD) is determined by measuring the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in a sample of exhaled gas (PECO2) and in the arterial blood (PaCO2) and (with tidal volume of VT) using the formula VD/VT = (PaCO2 − PECO2)/PaCO2.

physiologic jaundice
mild icterus neonatorum during the first few days after birth.

physiologic leukocytosis
that caused by nonpathologic factors such as strenuous exercise.

physiologic murmur
functional murmur.

physiologic psychology
physiological psychology the branch of psychology that studies the relationship between physiologic and psychologic processes. Called also psychophysiology.

physiologic rest position
rest position.

physiologic retraction ring
see retraction ring.

physiologic saline solution
physiologic salt solutionphysiologic sodium chloride solution a 0.9 per cent solution of sodium chloride and water; it is isotonic (of the same osmotic pressure as blood serum). It is sometimes given intravenously to replace lost sodium and chloride. Excessive quantities may cause edema, elevated blood sodium levels, or loss of ...

physiologic scotoma
that area of the visual field corresponding with the optic disk, in which the photosensitive receptors are absent.

physiologic tremor
a rapid, transient tremor of extremely low amplitude found in the limbs and sometimes the neck or face of normal individuals; it is only subtly detectable on an electromyogram and seldom visible to the naked eye. Various conditions can make it stronger.

physiological
(fiz″e-o-loj´ĭ-kәl) physiologic.

physiological adaptation
the ongoing process by which internal body functions are regulated and adjusted to maintain homeostasis in the internal environment.

physiological sounds
those heard when an external acoustic meatus is plugged, caused by the rush of blood through blood vessels in or near the inner ear and by adjacent muscles in continuous low-frequency vibration.

physiological tetanus
a spasm state in which sustained muscular contractions occur without periods of relaxation; it is caused by repetitive stimulation of the motor nerve trunk at frequencies so high that individual muscle twitches are fused and cannot be distinguished from one another. The condition is generally severe and is caused by a dis...

physiologist
(fiz″e-ol´ә-jist) a specialist in physiology.

physiology
(fiz″e-ol´ә-je) the science that treats of the functions of the living organism and its parts, and of the physical and chemical factors and processes involved. the basic processes underlying the functioning of a species or class of organism, or any of its parts or processes. ...

physiopathologic
(fiz″e-o-path″ә-loj´ik) pertaining to pathologic physiology.

physiotherapist
(fiz″e-o-ther´ә-pist) physical therapist.

physiotherapy
(fiz″e-o-ther´ә-pe) physical therapy.

physique
(fĭ-zēk´) the body organization, development, and structure.

physohematometra
(fi″so-he″mә-to-me´trә) gas and blood in the uterine cavity.

physohydrometra
(fi″so-hi″dro-me´trә) gas and serum in the uterine cavity.

physometra
(fi″so-me´trә) gas in the uterine cavity.

physopyosalpinx
(fi″so-pi″o-sal´pinks) gas and pus in a fallopian tube.

physostigmine
(fi″zo-stig´mēn) a cholinergic alkaloid having anticholinesterase activity, obtained from the dried ripe seed (Calabar bean) of Physostigma venenosum; used topically to produce miosis and to decrease intraocular pressure in glaucoma. It may also be applied parenterally to reverse the central nervous system ef...

phytanic acid storage disease
Refsum disease. any of several disorders characterized by abnormal accumulation of phytanic acid in tissues.

phytobezoar
(fi″to-be´zor) a bezoar composed of vegetable fibers.

phytoestrogen
(fi″to-es´tro-jәn) any of a group of weakly estrogenic, nonsteroidal compounds widely occurring in plants; diets containing large amounts of phytoestrogen-containing sources, such as soy, appear to have a preventive effect on cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

phytogenous
(fi-toj´ә-nәs) derived from plants, or caused by a vegetable growth.

phytohemagglutinin
(fi″to-he″mә-gloo´tĭ-nin) a lectin isolated from the red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); it is a hemagglutinin that agglutinates mammalian erythrocytes and a mitogen that stimulates predominantly T lymphocytes. Abbreviated PHA.

phytoid
(fi´toid) resembling a plant.

phytonadione
(fi-to″nә-di´ōn) a fat-soluble member of the vitamin K group, administered to promote prothrombin formation in hypoprothrombinemia of various causes, administered orally or parenterally.

phytoparasite
(fi″to-par´ә-sīt) any parasitic vegetable organism.

phytophotodermatitis
(fi″to-fo″to-dur″mә-ti´tis) phototoxic dermatitis due to contact with certain plants and subsequent exposure to sunlight.

phytoprecipitin
(fi″to-pre-sip´ĭ-tin) a precipitin formed in response to vegetable antigen.

phytosis
(fi-to´sis) any disease caused by a phytoparasite.

phytosterol
(fi-tos´tәr-ol″) a sterol of vegetable origin.

phytotoxic
(fi´to-tok″sik) pertaining to phytotoxin. poisonous to plants.

phytotoxin
(fi´to-tok″sin) an exotoxin produced by certain species of higher plants; any toxin of plant origin.

pia mater
(pi´ә ma´tәr) (pe´ә mah´tәr) the innermost of the three meninges covering the brain and spinal cord.

pia-arachnitis
(pi″ә-ar″ak-ni´tis) leptomeningitis.

pia-arachnoid
(pi″ә-ә-rak´noid) the pia mater and arachnoid considered together as one functional unit; the leptomeninges.

pial
(pi´әl) (pe´әl) pertaining to the pia mater.

pial sheath
the innermost of the three sheaths of the optic nerve.

piarachnitis
(pi″ar″ak-ni´tis) leptomeningitis.

piarachnoid
(pi″ә-rak´noid) pia-arachnoid.

pica
(pi´kә) compulsive eating of nonnutritive substances, such as ice (pagophagia), dirt (geophagia), gravel, flaking paint or plaster, clay, hair (trichophagia), or laundry starch (amylophagia). It is often seen during pregnancy and also occurs in some patients with iron or zinc deficiencies. In children this syndrome, ...

PICC
peripherally inserted central catheter.

Pick bodies
filamentous intracytoplasmic inclusions seen in neurons in Pick disease (def. 1).

Pick cells
a type of more or less round cells with foamy, lipid-containing cytoplasm found in the bone marrow and spleen in Niemann-Pick disease.

Pick disease
(pik) a rare progressive degenerative disease of the brain very similar in clinical manifestations and course to Alzheimer disease but differing in histopathology; cortical atrophy is confined to the frontal and temporal lobes and degenerating neurons contain globular filamentous inclusions (Pick bodies) in their cytopl...

Pick testicular adenoma
Pick tubular adenoma androblastoma (def. 1).

pickwickian syndrome
(pik-wik´e-әn) obesity-hypoventilation syndrome.

picogram
(pg) (pi´ko-gram) one-trillionth (10−12) of a gram.

Picornaviridae
(pĭ-kor″nә-vir´ĭ-de) the picornaviruses, a family of extremely small RNA viruses, including the genera Enterovirus and Rhinovirus.

picornavirus
(pi-kor´nә-vi″rәs) any virus of the family Picornaviridae.

picric acid
(pik´rik) trinitrophenol.

picrocarmine
(pik″ro-kahr´min) a histological stain consisting of a mixture of carmine, ammonia, distilled water, and aqueous solution of picric acid.

PID
pelvic inflammatory disease.

PIE
pulmonary interstitial emphysema.

PIE syndrome
[pulmonary infiltration with eosinophilia] any syndrome characterized by pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia, such as Löffler syndrome or chronic eosinophilic pneumonia.

piebaldism
(pi´bawld-iz-әm) a congenital, autosomal dominant type of hypomelanosis characterized by patches of lightened or white skin, often associated with a white forelock.

piece
(pēs) a part or portion. end piece the terminal portion of the tail of the spermatozoon. middle piece an anterior portion of the tail of the spermatozoon, between the neck and the anulus. principal piece the main portion...

piedra
(pya´drә) a fungal disease of the hair in which white or black nodules of fungi form on the shafts.

Pierre Robin syndrome
(pyār-ro-bă´) an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by smallness of the mandible, cleft palate, and often drooping of the tongue, backward and upward displacement of the larynx, and angulation of the manubrium sterni.

piesesthesia
(pi-e″zes-the´zhә) the sense by which pressure stimuli are felt.

piesimeter
(pi″ә-sim´ә-tәr) an instrument for testing the sensitiveness of the skin to pressure.

pigeon breeder's lung
hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by inhalation of particles of bird feces, seen in those who work closely with pigeons or other birds; it may eventually result in pulmonary fibrosis. Called also bird breeder's or bird handler's lung.

pigeon toe
a permanent toeing-in position of the feet; severe cases are considered a form of clubfoot (talipes).

piggyback
(pig´e-bak″) supplementary or added on; used to refer to a type of intravenous infusion.

pigment
(pig´mәnt) any coloring matter of the body. a stain or dyestuff. a paintlike medicinal preparation applied to the skin. adj., pig´mentary., adj.

pigment cell
any cell containing pigment granules.

pigment granules
small masses of coloring matter in pigment cells.

pigmental degeneration
pigmentary degeneration that in which cells of affected tissue become abnormally pigmented.

pigmentary atrophy
wasting marked by the deposit of pigment in the atrophied cells, as in brown atrophy.

pigmentary system
the melanocytes, collectively.

pigmentation
(pig″mәn-ta´shәn) the deposition of coloring matter; the coloration or discoloration of a part by a pigment.

pigmented
(pig´mәn-tәd) colored by deposit of pigment.

pigmented basal cell carcinoma
a type of basal cell carcinoma whose lesions contain brown or black pigment; it grows slowly and is seen more often in darker-skinned individuals. Some cases are associated with chronic arsenic poisoning.

pigmented nevus
any nevus containing melanin, such as a Becker nevus, melanocytic nevus, or nevus spilus.

pigtail catheter
an angiographic catheter ending in a tightly curled tip that resembles the tail of a pig.

piitis
(pi-i´tis) inflammation of the pia mater.

pilar
(pi´lәr) hairy.

pilar carcinoma
a solitary, nodular, sometimes ulcerated lesion of the hair follicle, usually on the scalp of elderly women; it is frequently recurrent and metastasizes to regional lymph nodes.

pilar cyst
a type of epidermal cyst, almost always found on the scalp, arising from the outer root sheath of the hair follicle.

pile
(pīl) hemorrhoid. in nucleonics, a chain-reacting fission device for producing slow neutrons and radioisotopes. sentinel pile a hemorrhoid-like thickening of the mucous membrane at the lower end of an anal fissure.

pili
(pi´li) plural of pilus.

piliferous
(pi-lif´әr-әs) bearing or producing hair.

pill
(pil) tablet. morning-after pill popular name for an emergency postcoital contraceptive containing a high dose of the hormones usually found in an oral contraceptive, either an estrogen plus a progestational agent, or the latter alone; used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected intercour...

pillar
(pil´әr) a supporting column, usually occurring in pairs. pillars of fauces the palatoglossal arch and palatopharyngeal arch considered together.

pillar cells
a type of pillar-shaped cells found in double rows in the inner ear; their heads are together and their bases are widely separated on the basilar membrane, so that they form a spiral tunnel. Called also Corti rods or fibers. Pillar cells forming the inner tunnel in the organ of Corti in th...

pillion
(pil´yәn) a temporary artificial lower limb.

pillion fracture
a fracture of the lower end of the femur occurring when the knee of a person riding pillion on a motorcycle is struck in a collision; it is a T-shaped fracture with displacement of the condyles behind the femoral shaft.

pilocarpine
(pi″lo-kahr´pēn) a cholinergic alkaloid from leaves of Pilocarpus jaborandi and P. microphyllus; used topically in the eye as the base or the hydrochloride or nitrate salt as an antiglaucoma agent and miotic; the hydrochloride salt is also used orally to treat mouth dryness resulting from radiotherapy or associated...

pilocystic
(pi″lo-sis´tik) hollow or cystlike, and containing hair; said of dermoid tumors.

piloerection
(pi″lo-e-rek´shәn) horripilation.