Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «S»:
Spotted fever: Also known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. An acute febrile
(feverish) disease initially recognized in the Rocky Mountain states, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii transmitted by hard-shelled (ixodid) ticks. Occurs only in the Western Hemisphere. Anyone frequenting tick-infested areas ...
Sprain: An injury to a ligament that results from overuse or trauma. Sprains occurs when there is a stretch or tear in one or more ligaments, slightly elastic bands of tissue that keep the bones in place while permitting movement at a joint. The treatment of a sprain involves applying ice packs, re...
Sprain, ankle: See: Ankle sprain....
Sprain, metatarsophalangeal joint
Sprain, metatarsophalangeal joint: See: Metatarsophalangeal joint sprain....
Sprained ankle: See: Ankle sprain....
Sprue, nontropical: This condition results from an
immune (allergic) reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat and related grains and
present in many foods that we eat. Sprue causes impaired absorption and digestion of
nutrients through the small intestine. Symptoms include frequent diarrhea and ...
Spur, heel: A bony spur projecting from the back or
underside of the heel that often makes walking painful.
Spurs at the back of the heel are associated with inflammation of
the Achilles tendon (Achilles tendinitis) and cause tenderness and
pain at the back of the heel that is made worse by push...
Sputum: The mucus and other matter brought up from the lungs, bronchi, and trachea that one may cough up and spit out or swallow. The word "sputum" is borrowed directly from the Latin "to spit." Called also expectoration....
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma: Cancer that begins in squamous cells -- thin, flat cells that look under the microscope like fish scales. Squamous cells are found in the tissue that forms the surface of the skin, the lining of hollow organs of the body, and the passages of the respiratory and digestive tra...
Squamous cell carcinoma in situ
Squamous cell carcinoma in situ: An early stage of skin cancer. Also known as Bowen's disease.
This is a tumor that develops from the squamous cells which are flat, scalelike cells in the outer layer of the skin (the epithelium). The term "in situ" (borrowed from the Romans) means "in the natural or...
Squamous cells: Flat cells that look like fish scales. The word "squamous" came from the Latin squama meaning "the scale of a fish or serpent."
We have a lot of squamous cells. They make up most of the cells in the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis), the passages of the respiratory and digesti...
Squamous intraepithelial lesion
Squamous intraepithelial lesion: A general term for the abnormal growth of squamous
cells on the surface of the cervix. The changes in the cells are described as low grade or
high grade, depending on how much of the cervix is affected and how abnormal the cells
are. Also called SIL....
Squawroot: See: Blue cohosh....
SRAS: Syndrome respiratoire aigu severe (in French). In English, severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS....
SRY: Sex region Y, a region on the Y chromosome that determines the sex of the individual. SRY is necessary and sufficient for male sex determination. It is the testis-determining factor.
Mutations in SRY give rise to XY females with gonadal dysgenesis who appear to be normal females at birth, but...