MedTerms Word of the Day

Hereditary angioneurotic edema: A genetic form of
angioedema. (Angioedema is also referred to as Quinke's disease.) Persons with it are
born lacking an inhibitor protein (called C1 esterase inhibit...

Empyema: The presence of pus in the pleural space which is between the outer surface of the lung and the chest wall. Empyema is often a complication of
pneumonia caused by
bacteria such as Strept...

Kalemia: The presence of potassium in the blood. The word "kalemia" is seldom used today although it is the basis for the terms for abnormally high blood potassium (hyperkalemia) and low blood pota...

Acidophilus: Bacteria found in yogurt that can help restore a supportive bacterial environment to an intestinal tract whose normal intestinal bacterial population ("flora") has been disturbed by di...

Large saphenous vein: The larger of the two saphenous veins, the principal veins that run up the leg superficially (near the surface).
The large saphenous vein goes from the foot all the way up to...

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: An overgrowth syndrome, whose clinical manifestations typically include macrosomia (large body size), macroglossia (large tongue), omphalocele (exomphalos), organomegal...

Jewett staging system: A system for determining the stage of a prostate cancer. The system uses ABCD. The letters "A" and "B" designate cancers that are confined to the prostate. The letter "C" app...

Coronary angiography: The most accurate method (the "gold standard") for evaluating and defining coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary angiography is used to identify the exact location and sever...

F (symbol): A much used symbol, F stands for fractional concentration; free energy; Fahrenheit; visual field; fluorine; force; filial generation, followed by subscript numerals indicating specified...

OAE (Otoacoustic emission test)
: OAE is an abbreviation for "otoacoustic emission test" which measures an acoustic response that is
produced by the inner ear (cochlea), which in essence bounces ...