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

spontaneous labor
delivery occurring without artificial aid.

spontaneous nystagmus
that occurring without specific stimulation of the vestibular system.

spontaneous ventilation
breathing done naturally, without artificial aids, as opposed to mechanical ventilation and other forms of artificial respiration.

spontaneous version
one that occurs without aid from any extraneous force.

spoon nail
koilonychia.

sporadic
(spә-rad´ik) occurring singly; widely scattered; not epidemic or endemic.

spore
(spor) a refractile, oval body formed within bacteria, especially Bacillus and Clostridium, which is regarded as a resting stage during the life history of the cell, and is characterized by its resistance to environmental changes. the reproductive element, produced sexually or asexually, of one of the lowe...

sporicide
(spor´ĭ-sīd) an agent that kills spores. adj., sporici´dal., adj.

sporocyst
(spor´o-sist) any cyst or sac containing spores or reproductive cells; the oocyst of certain protozoa in which sporozoites develop. the larval stages of flukes in snails.

sporogenic
(spor″o-jen´ik) producing spores.

sporogony
(spә-rog´ә-ne) the sexual stage in the life cycle of a sporozoan parasite, with development of the zygote into one or several haploid spores, each containing a distinctive number of sporozoites. adj., sporogon´ic., adj.

sporont
(spor´ont) a mature protozoon in its sexual cycle.

sporoplasm
(spor´o-plaz″әm) the protoplasm of a spore.

Sporothrix
(spor´o-thriks) a genus of fungi, including S. schenck´ii, which causes sporotrichosis, and S. car´nis, which causes formation of white mold on meat in cold storage.

sporotrichosis
(spor″o-trĭ-ko´sis) a chronic fungal infection caused by Sporothrix schenckii, characterized by nodules on or underneath the skin and in nearby lymphatic vessels; they eventually suppurate and form ulcers. The infection is acquired by implantation of the fungus through a break in the skin, or by inhalation in...

Sporozoa
(spor″o-zo´ә) Sporozoea.

sporozoa
(spor″o-zo´ә) plural of sporozoon.

sporozoan
(spor″o-zo´әn) pertaining to the Sporozoa. an individual of the Sporozoa.

Sporozoea
(spor″o-ze´ә) a class of parasitic protozoa with both sexual and asexual phases; it contains the medically important subclass Coccidia. Called also Sporozoa.

sporozoite
(spor″o-zo´īt) a spore formed after fertilization; any one of the sickle-shaped nucleated germs formed by division of the protoplasm of a spore of a sporozoan organism. In malaria, the sporozoites are the forms of the plasmodium that are liberated from the oocysts in the mosquito, that accumulate in the...

sporozoon
(spor″o-zo´on) an individual protozoan belonging to the Sporozoea.

sports medicine
the field of medicine concerned with injuries sustained in athletic endeavors, including their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

sporulation
(spor″u-la´shәn) formation of spores.

spot
(spot) a circumscribed, usually discolored area; see also dot, macule, and patch.

spot-film radiography
the making of localized instantaneous radiographic exposures; see also spot film.

spotted fever
(spot´әd) any of various tick fevers characterized by skin eruptions, usually owing to infection with rickettsiae; common members of the group are Rocky Mountain spotted fever and boutonneuse fever.

sprain
(sprān) wrenching or twisting of a joint, with partial rupture of its ligaments. There may also be damage to the associated blood vessels, muscles, tendons, and nerves. A sprain is more serious than a strain, which is simply the overstretching of a muscle, without swelling.

sprain fracture
the separation of a tendon from its insertion, taking with it a piece of bone.

spreader
(spred´әr) an instrument for distributing something over a broad area.

Sprengel deformity
(shpreng´gәl) a congenital condition in which the scapula is too high. it results when the scapula fails to descend to its normal position during fetal life.

sprinter's fracture
fracture of the anterior superior or of the anterior inferior spine of the ilium, a fragment of the bone being pulled off by muscular violence, as at the start of a sprint.

Sprinz-Dubin syndrome
(sprints´ doo´bin) Sprinz-Nelson syndrome (sprints´ nel´sun) Dubin-Johnson syndrome.

sprue
(sproo) a chronic form of malabsorption syndrome occurring in both tropical and nontropical forms. celiac sprue , nontropical sprue celiac disease. tropical sprue a chronic disease affecting the digestive system, marked by imperfect absorpt...

spun glass hair syndrome
uncombable hair syndrome.

spur
(spur) a spiked object or goad. a projecting body, as from a bone. Called also calcar. calcaneal spur a projecting body on the lower surface of the calcaneus which frequently causes pain on walking. scleral spur the posterior lip of the venous...

spur cell
acanthocyte.

spur cell anemia
anemia in which the erythrocytes are acanthocytes (spur cells) and are destroyed prematurely, primarily in the spleen; it is an acquired form occurring in severe liver disease in which there is increased serum cholesterol and increased uptake of cholesterol into the erythrocyte membrane, causing the abnormal shape.

spurious
(spu´re-әs) simulated; not genuine; false.

spurious aneurysm
false aneurysm (def. 1). pseudoaneurysm.

spurious ankylosis
extracapsular ankylosis.

spurious meningocele
traumatic meningocele.

Spurway syndrome
(spur´wa) osteogenesis imperfecta (type I).

sputum
(spu´tәm) mucous secretion from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea that is ejected through the mouth, in contrast to saliva, which is the secretion of the salivary glands. Called also expectoration.

SQ
subcutaneous.

squalene
(skwa´lēn) an unsaturated terpene that is an intermediate in cholesterol synthesis and occurs normally at low levels in blood plasma and at elevated levels in viral influenza; used as a vehicle for pharmaceuticals.

squama
(skwa´mә) Latin word meaning scale (def. 2). a flat, platelike structure in the body. adj., squa´mate, squa´mous., adj.

squame
(skwām) squama (def. 1). scale (def. 2).

squamocolumnar junction
the site of transition between squamous and columnar epithelium, such as occurs between the esophagus and the stomach or within the epithelium of the uterine cervix.

squamoparietal
(skwa″mo-pә-ri´ә-tәl) pertaining to the pars squamosa (squamous part of the temporal bone) and the parietal bone.

squamosoparietal
(skwa-mo″so-pә-ri´ә-tәl) squamoparietal.

squamous
(skwa´mәs) resembling a squama; flattened or platelike. scaly (see scale).

squamous alveolar cells
type I alveolar cells.

squamous bone
squamous part of temporal bone.

squamous carcinoma
squamous cell carcinoma carcinoma developed from squamous epithelium, having cuboid cells and characterized by keratinization. In the skin, it is often on sun-damaged sites or at pre-existing lesions. Initially local and superficial, it may later invade and metastasize. one of the most common types of lung cancer, ...

squamous cell
a type of epithelial cell that is flat and scalelike.

squamous epithelium
epithelium composed of squamous cells.

squamous odontogenic tumor
a benign epithelial odontogenic tumor of the jaw, believed to derive from transformation of Malassez rests; it is characterized by islands of mature squamous epithelium surrounded by flattened or cuboidal cells.

squamous part of temporal bone
the flat, scalelike, front upper portion of the temporal bone. Called also squamous bone.

squamous suture
the suture between the pars squamosa of the temporal bone and parietal bone.

square root sign
in constrictive pericarditis, the diastolic level of the right ventricular pressure curve is initially normal but rapidly rises abnormally.

squatting
(skwaht´ing) a position with the hips and knees flexed, the buttocks resting on the heels; sometimes adopted by a parturient woman at delivery or by a child with any of certain types of cardiac defects.

squeeze technique
(skwēz) a technique used to treat premature ejaculation; a male is repeatedly aroused almost to the point of ejaculation and then the thumb and first two fingers are used to forcibly squeeze the head of the penis, preventing ejaculation.

squill
(skwil) any of various plants of the genus Urginea, especially U. maritima or U. indica. the fleshy inner scales of the bulb of U. maritima or U. indica; a distinction is made between those with white bulbs (white squill) and those with red bulbs (red squill). red squill a v...

squint
(skwint) strabismus.

SR
sedimentation rate.

Sr
strontium.

SRH
somatotropin-releasing hormone (growth hormone–releasing hormone).

SRS-A
slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis.

ss.
Abbreviation for Latin se´mis (half). Used in prescription writing.

Ssabanejew-Frank operation
a formerly common type of gastrostomy with suture of the stomach to the body wall.

SSRI
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

St
stoke.

St. Anthony's fire
(sānt´ an´thә-nēz″ fīr´) ergotism. erysipelas.

St. John's wort
(sānt jonz wort) any of various species of the genus Hypericum; H. perforatum is the medicinal herb, which is used as a mild antidepressant, sedative, and anxiolytic; it is also used topically for inflammation of the skin, contusions, myalgia, and first-degree burns.

St. Louis encephalitis
a form of epidemic encephalitis seen in the late summer and early fall and resembling western equine encephalomyelitis. It is usually transmitted by Culex mosquitoes.

St. Louis encephalitis virus
a virus of the genus Flavivirus that causes St. Louis encephalitis. It is transmitted by mosquitoes.

St. Vitus' dance
(sānt´ vi´tәs-ez″ dans´) Sydenham chorea.

STA test
standard tube agglutination test (for brucellosis) a serologic test using Brucella abortus antigens to detect infections with B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis.

stab cell
band cell

stab culture
a culture into which the organisms are introduced by thrusting a needle deep into the medium.

stability
(stә-bil´ĭ-te) the quality of maintaining a stable character in the presence of forces threatening to disturb it; resistance to change.

stabilization
(sta″bil-ĭ-za´shәn) the process of making firm and steady.

stable
(sta´bәl) not moving, fixed, firm. constant (def. 1).

stable angina
chest pain of cardiac origin that has not changed in character, frequency, intensity, or duration for 60 days.

stable element
a chemical element that contains an optimal ratio or range of ratios between the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus and thus does not spontaneously transmute into another element or give off radiation. The stable elements are those that have an atomic number below 84, except for a few that are weakly radioactiv...

stable factor
factor VII.

stactometer
(stak-tom´ә-tәr) a device for measuring drops.

staff of Aesculapius
a rod or staff with a snake entwined around it, commonly appearing in the ancient representations of Aesculapius, the god of medicine. It is the symbol of medicine and is the official emblem of the American Medical Association. See accompanying illustration. Staff of Aesculapius.

stage
(stāj) a distinct period or phase, as of development of a disease or organism. the platform of a microscope on which the slide containing the object to be studied is placed.

staghorn calculus
a urinary calculus, usually a phosphate calculus, found in the renal pelvis and shaped like the antlers of a stag because it extends into multiple calices.

staging
(stāj´ing) the determination of distinct phases or periods in the course of a disease, the life history of an organism, or any biological process. the classification of neoplasms according to the extent of the tumor. See also cancer. TNM staging an international s...

stagnant hypoxia
a type seen when not enough oxygen is transported by the blood because blood flow is reduced, such as with heart failure.

stagnant loop syndrome
stasis syndrome.

stagnation mastitis
a local engorgement affecting one or more lobules of the breast and forming a painful lump in the organ; it occurs during early lactation. Called also caked breast.

stain
(stān) a substance used to impart color to tissues or cells, to facilitate microscopic study and identification. an area of discoloration of the skin.

staining
(stān´ing) artificial coloration of a substance to facilitate examination of tissues, microorganisms, or other cells under the microscope. For various techniques, see under stain. relief staining a method of staining that colors the background and leaves the cells uncolored.

staircase phenomenon
treppe.

stairs sign
difficulty in descending a stairway in tabes dorsalis.

stalagmometer
(stal″әg-mom´ә-tәr) an instrument for measuring surface tension by determining the exact number of drops in a given quantity of a liquid; the lower the surface tension, the smaller each drop will be, and the more drops will be in a given volume.

stalk
(stawk) an elongated anatomical structure resembling the stem of a plant. allantoic stalk the slender tube lying between the urogenital sinus and allantoic sac; it is the precursor of the urachus. body stalk , connecting stalk a bridge of m...