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

superior suprarenal arteries
origin, inferior phrenic artery; branches, none; distribution, suprarenal gland.

superior tarsal muscle
origin, levator palpebrae superioris muscle; insertion, tarsal plate of upper eyelid; innervation, sympathetic; action, widens the opening between the eyelids (palpebral fissure).

superior thalamostriate vein
a vein that collects blood from the corpus striatum and thalamus, and joins with the choroid vein to form the internal cerebral vein.

superior thoracic aperture syndrome
thoracic outlet syndrome.

superior thoracic artery
origin, axillary artery; branches, none; distribution, chest wall near axilla (armpit).

superior thyroid artery
origin, external carotid artery; branches, hyoid, sternocleidomastoid, superior laryngeal, cricothyroid, muscular, and anterior, posterior, and lateral glandular branches; distribution, thyroid gland and adjacent structures.

superior thyroid vein
a vein arising from the upper part of the thyroid gland on either side, opening into the internal jugular vein, occasionally in common with the facial vein.

superior tympanic artery
origin, middle meningeal artery; branches, none; distribution, tympanic cavity.

superior ulnar collateral artery
origin, brachial artery; branches, none; distribution, elbow joint, triceps muscle.

superior vein of vermis
a vein that drains the superior surface of the cerebellum; it runs forward and medially across the superior vermis to empty into the straight sinus or the great cerebral vein.

superior vena cava syndrome
a complex of symptoms caused by compression of the superior vena cava, such as by a bronchial tumor or by metastatic mediastinal lymph nodes in lung cancer; characteristics include suffusion and brawny edema of the face, neck, or upper arms; central nervous system disturbances; cyanosis; conjunctival edema; and edema of t...

superior vesical arteries
origin, umbilical artery; branches, none; distribution, bladder, urachus, ureter.

superjacent
(soo″pәr-ja´sәnt) located just above.

superlactation
(soo″pәr-lak-ta´shәn) hyperlactation.

superlethal
(soo″pәr-le´thәl) more than sufficient to cause death.

supermotility
(soo″pәr-mo-til´ĭ-te) excessive motility.

supernatant
(soo″pәr-na´tәnt) the liquid lying above a layer of precipitated insoluble material.

supernormal period
in electrocardiography, a period at the end of phase 3 of the action potential during which activation can be initiated with a milder stimulus than is required at maximal repolarization, because at this time the cell is excitable and closer to threshold than at maximal diastolic potential.

supernumerary
(soo″pәr-noo´mәr-ar″e) in excess of the regular number.

supernumerary bone
a bone occurring in addition to the normal one, such as a vertebra or a rib (cervical or lumbar rib).

supernumerary teeth
natural teeth in excess of the number normally present in the jaw.

supernutrition
(soo″pәr-noo-trĭ´shәn) excessive nutrition.

superolateral
(soo″pәr-o-lat´әr-әl) above and to the side.

superoxide
(soo″pәr-ok´sīd) any compound containing the highly reactive superoxide ion O2−, a common intermediate in numerous biological oxidations.

superoxide dismutase
(soo″pәr-ok´sīd dis-mu´tās) an enzyme of the oxidoreductase class that catalyzes the reduction of superoxide anions to hydrogen peroxide, protecting cells against dangerous levels of superoxide.

supersaturate
(soo″pәr-sach´әr-āt) to add more of an ingredient than can be held in solution permanently.

supersaturated solution
an unstable solution containing more of the solute than it can permanently hold.

superscription
(soo″pәr-skrip´shәn) something written above; the symbol ℞ or prescription sign (“take thou”), which is the first of four chief parts of a drug prescription.

supervascularization
(soo″pәr-vas″ku-lәr-ĭ-za´shәn) in radiotherapy, the relative increase in vascularity that occurs when tumor cells are destroyed so that the remaining tumor cells are better supplied by the (uninjured) capillary stroma.

supervoltage
(soo´pәr-vōl″tәj) in radiation therapy, voltage between 500 kilovolts and 1 megavolt, as contrasted with orthovoltage and megavoltage.

supinate
(soo´pĭ-nāt) the act of turning the palm forward or upward, or of raising the medial margin of the foot.

supination
(soo″pĭ-na´shәn) the act of assuming the supine position; placing or lying on the back. Applied to the hand, the act of turning the palm upward. Supination: supinators contracted, the palm turned forward.

supinator longus reflex
brachioradialis reflex.

supinator muscle
origin, lateral epicondyle of humerus, ulna, elbow joint fascia; insertion, radius; innervation, deep radial nerve; action,supinates forearm.

supine
(soo´pīn) (soo-pīn´) lying with the face upward, or on the dorsal surface; see supine position and see figure at position.

supine hypotension syndrome
supine hypotensive syndrome partial occlusion of the inferior vena cava and the descending aorta by the uterus, particularly when a woman is pregnant, resulting in hypotension when she is in a supine position; it is corrected by having her assume a side-lying position. Called also vena caval syndrome.

supine position
one in which the patient is lying on the back. Called also dorsal position.

support group
a group made up of individuals with a common problem, usually meeting to express feelings, vent frustrations, and explore effective coping strategies. Education is a component of some support groups.

support hose
an elastic garment for a limb that enhances venous circulation through creation of a pressure gradient by fabric pressure. See also compression therapy.

supporting cells
cells that serve to provide support and protection and perhaps contribute to the nutrition of principal or other cells of certain organs; such cells are found in the labyrinth of the inner ear, organ of Corti, olfactory epithelium, taste buds, and seminiferous tubules (Sertoli cells). Called also sustentacular cells.

supportive care
interventions that help the patient achieve comfort but do not affect the course of a disease. Called also palliative care or treatment.

suppository
(sә-poz´ĭ-tor-e) an easily fusible medicated mass for introduction into the rectum, urethra, or vagina.

suppressant
(sә-pres´әnt) inducing suppression, such as of secretion, excretion, or normal discharge. an agent that so acts.

suppression
(sә-presh´әn) the act of holding back or checking. the stopping or inhibition of something, such as a secretion, excretion, normal discharge, or other function. in psychiatry, conscious inhibition of an unacceptable impulse or idea as contrasted with repression, which is unconscious.&nb...

suppression test
a type of dynamic test used when hyperfunction of an endocrine gland or presence of a hormone-secreting tumor is suspected; a substance is administered that is normally antagonistic to glandular secretion of a given hormone and hormonal levels are measured to assess whether they drop in the normal fashion.

suppressor cells
suppressor T cells differentiated T lymphocytes of the CD8 cells group that inhibit humoral and cell-mediated immune responses; they play an integral role in immunoregulation, and are believed to be operative in various autoimmune and other immunological disease states.

suppressor mutation
one that partially or completely masks phenotypic expression of another mutation but occurs at a different site from it (that is, causes suppression).

suppurant
(sup´u-rәnt) suppurative. an agent causing suppuration.

suppuration
(sup″u-ra´shәn) pyogenesis. the act of becoming converted into and discharging pus. adj., sup´purative., adj.

suppurative mastitis
mastitis with production of pus.

suppurative otitis media
otitis media with a discharge of pus; infecting bacteria are usually Streptococcus species, Haemophilus influenzae, or Staphylococcus aureus. It may be either acute or chronic. See also Gradenigo syndrome. Called also purulent otitis media.

suppurative pericarditis
purulent pericarditis.

suppurative phlebitis
septic phlebitis.

suppurative pleurisy
empyema (def. 2).

suppurative pneumonia
pneumonia with formation of abscesses in the lungs. Called also purulent pneumonia.

suppurative retinitis
retinitis due to pyemic infection.

supra-acromial
(soo″prә-ә-kro´me-әl) above the acromion.

supra-auricular
(soo″prә-aw-rik´u-lәr) above the auricle of the ear.

supra-auricular point
a point at the root of the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, directly superior to the auricular point.

supracardinal veins
paired vessels in the embryo, developing later than the subcardinal veins and persisting chiefly as the inferior segment of the inferior vena cava.

suprachiasmatic artery
origin,anterior communicating artery; branches, none; distribution, optic chiasm.

suprachoroid
(soo″prә-kor´oid) above or upon the choroid.

suprachoroidea
(soo″prah-ko-roi´de-ah) the outermost layer of the choroid.

supraclavicular
(soo″prә-klә-vik´u-lәr) above the clavicle.

supraclavicular nerves
a group of nerves that arise from the cervical plexus (C3–C4) and supply the sternoclavicular joint and the skin of the shoulder; see also intermediate, lateral, and medial supraclavicular nerves.

supraclavicular point
a point above the clavicle and outside of the sternomastoid where the application of a stimulus causes contraction of the biceps brachii, deltoideus, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles.

supracondylar
(soo″prә-kon´dә-lәr) above a condyle.

supracondylar fracture
fracture of the humerus in which the line of fracture is through the lower end of the shaft of the humerus.

supracostal
(soo″prә-kos´tәl) above or outside the ribs.

supracotyloid
(soo″prә-kot´ә-loid) above the acetabulum.

supradiaphragmatic
(soo″prә-di″ә-frag-mat´ik) above the diaphragm.

supraduction
(soo″prә-duk´shәn) sursumduction.

supraduodenal artery
origin, gastroduodenal artery; branches, duodenal branch; distribution, superior part of duodenum.

supraepicondylar
(soo″prә-ep″ĭ-kon´dә-lәr) above the epicondyle.

supraglenoid tubercle
one on the scapula for attachment of the long head of the biceps muscle.

supraglottitis
(soo″prә-glŏ-ti´tis) inflammation of the epiglottis, most often as a result of infection with Haemophilus influenzae type b, but also due to other bacterial, viral, or fungal infection or to thermal injury or other trauma; it is characterized by drooling, sore throat, and distress, and can lead to life-...

suprahyoid
(soo″prә-hi´oid) above the hyoid bone.

suprahyoid muscles
the muscles that attach the hyoid bone to the skull, including the digastric, stylohyoid, mylohyoid, and geniohyoid muscles.

suprainterparietal bone
a sutural bone sometimes occurring at the posterior part of the sagittal suture.

supraliminal
(soo″prә-lim´ĭ-nәl) above the threshold of sensation.

supralumbar
(soo″prә-lum´bәr) (-bahr) above the loins.

supramarginal gyrus
that part of the inferior parietal convolution which curves around the upper end of the fissure of Sylvius.

supramaxillary
(soo″prә-mak´sĭ-lar″e) above the maxilla.

supranasal point
ophryon.

supranuclear cataract
an opacity in the deep cortex of the lens, just above the nucleus.

supranuclear paralysis
pseudobulbar paralysis.

supraoccipital bone
a bone developing from a separate ossification center in the fetus, which becomes the squamous part of the occipital bone below the superior nuchal line.

supraoptic artery
origin, anterior cerebral artery; branches, none; distribution, superior surface of optic nerve and optic chiasm.

supraoptic nucleus
a nucleus just above the lateral part of the optic chiasm; many of its cells are neurosecretory in function and project to the neurohypophysis, where they secrete vasopressin and, to a lesser extent, oxytocin; other cells are osmoreceptors that stimulate vasopressin release in response to increased osmotic pressure.

supraorbital
(soo″prә-or´bĭ-tәl) above the orbit.

supraorbital artery
origin,ophthalmic artery; branches, superficial, deep, diploic; distribution, forehead, upper muscles of orbit, upper eyelid, frontal sinus.

supraorbital foramen
passage in the frontal bone for the supraorbital vessels and nerve; often present as a notch bridged only by fibrous tissue.

supraorbital nerve
origin, continuation of frontal nerve, from ophthalmic nerve; branches, lateral and medial branches; distribution, supplies the skin of upper eyelid, forehead, anterior scalp (to top of head), mucosa of frontal sinus; modality, general sensory.

supraorbital point
ophryon. in neuralgia, a tender spot just superior to the supraorbital notch.

supraorbital reflex
contraction of the orbicularis oculi muscle on tapping the supraorbital nerve; called also McCarthy reflex.

supraorbital vein
the vein that passes down the forehead lateral to the supratrochlear vein, joining it at the root of the nose to form the angular vein.

suprapatellar reflex
with the subject's lower limb extended, the index finger of the examiner is crooked above the patella and is struck; the result is a kick-back of the patella.

suprapelvic
(soo″prә-pel´vik) above the pelvis.

suprapharmacologic
(soo″prә-fahr″mә-ko-loj´ik) much greater than the usual therapeutic dose or pharmacologic concentration of a drug.

suprapontine
(soo″prә-pon´tīn) above or in the upper part of the pons.