| Tachycardia |
a
rapid heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) |
| Tapeworm |
a
parasitic worm that lives in the intestines; causes diarrhea
and abdominal discomfort |
| Tar |
the
sticky, brown substance in cigarettes that coats the lungs;
causes lung and other cancers |
| Tarsorrhaphy |
a
procedure in which the eyelids are sewn shut; performed to
protect the corneas |
| Tartar |
the
hard deposit formed on teeth when mineral salts in saliva
combine with plaque; can cause dental problems such as gum
disease if not controlled |
| Tay-Sachs
disease |
a
severe genetic disorder that causes nervous system disturbances
and death, usually before the age of 3 |
| TB |
see
Tuberculosis |
| T
cell |
see
T-lymphocyte |
| T-cell
leukemia |
a
type of leukemia caused by a virus in which T-lymphocytes
divide uncontrollably |
| Tear
duct |
a
tiny passageway that drains lubricating tears from the surface
of the eye to the back of the nose |
| Telangiectasia |
redness
of an area of skin, caused by enlargement and proliferation
of the underlying small blood vessels |
| Temperature
method |
a
natural method of family planning in which a woman determines
her time of ovulation by changes in her daily temperature |
| Temporal
arteritis |
inflammation
and narrowing of arteries in the head and neck, including
those in the scalp near the temple, which can cause blindness
if untreated |
| Temporomandibular
joint syndrome |
headache,
facial pain, and jaw tenderness caused by irregularities in
the way the joints, muscles, and ligaments in the jaw work
together |
| Tendinitis |
inflammation
of a tendon, usually caused by injury, characterized by pain,
tenderness, and sometimes limited movement in the attached
muscle |
| Tendon |
strong
connective tissue cords that attach muscle to bone or muscle
to muscle |
| Tendon
transfer |
surgical
cutting and repositioning of a tendon so that the muscle attached
to it has a new function |
| Tennis
elbow |
a
form of tendinitis that causes pain and tenderness in the
elbow and forearm |
| Tenosynovitis |
inflammation
of the inner lining of the sheath that covers a tendon |
| Tenovaginitis |
inflammation
of the fibrous wall of the sheath that covers a tendon |
| TENS |
see
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation |
| Tension
headache |
a
headache caused by emotional strain or tension in the muscles
of the head and neck |
| Teratogen |
anything
that causes abnormalities in a developing embryo or fetus,
such as a drug or virus |
| Teratoma |
a
tumor composed of cells not normally found in the part of
the body when the tumor occurred |
| Termination
of pregnancy |
see
Abortion |
| Testicles |
the
two male sex organs that produce sperm and the sex hormone
testosterone |
| Testicular
feminization factor |
a
genetic disorder in which an individual who is genetically
male has the external appearance of a female because the body
is unresponsive to testosterone |
| Testicular
torsion |
severe
pain and swelling of a testicle, due to twisting of the spermatic
cord |
| Testosterone |
the
sex hormone that stimulates development of male sex characteristics
and bone and muscle growth; produced by the testicles and
in small amounts by the ovaries |
| Tetanus |
a
sometimes fatal disease affecting the brain and spinal cord;
caused by infection with bacterium present in soil and manure
|
| Tetracyclines |
a
group of antibiotic drugs used to treat a wide variety of
infections, including bronchitis and some types of pneumonia |
| Tetralogy
of Fallot |
a
genetic heart disease involving four structural defects in
the heart, which result in insufficient levels of oxygen in
the blood |
| Thalamus |
a
structure in the brain that relays and processes incoming
sensory information from the eyes and ears and from pressure
and pain receptors |
| Thalassemia |
a
group of genetic blood disorders characterized by a defect
in the ability to produce hemoglobin, leading to the rupturing
of red blood cells (called hemolytic anemia) |
| Thallium
scanning |
a
type of radionuclide scanning used to assess the heart |
| Therapeutic
range |
the
range of doses of a drug that will produce beneficial results
without side effects |
| Thoracoscopy |
examination
of the membranes covering the lungs using an endoscope |
| Thoracotomy |
a
procedure in which the chest is surgically opened to operate
on an organ in the chest cavity |
| Thorax |
the
chest |
| Thrill |
a
vibration felt when the hand is placed flat on the chest;
caused by abnormal blood flow through the heart as a result
of disease |
| Thrombectomy |
removal
of a blood clot |
| Thrombocytopenic
purpura |
a
decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, causing
abnormal bleeding of blood vessels into the skin |
| Thromboembolism |
blockage
of a blood vessel by a blood clot fragment that has broken
off and traveled from another area of the body |
| Thrombophlebitis |
inflammation
of a vein, along with clot formation in the affected area |
| Thrombosis |
a
condition in which a blood clot (thrombus) has formed inside
a blood vessel |
| Thrombus |
a
blood clot in a blood vessel |
| Thrush |
a
candidiasis infection |
| Thymoma |
a
tumor of the thymus gland |
| Thymus
gland |
an
immune system gland located in the upper part of the chest
that plays an important role in the production of T-lymphocytes |
| Thyroglossal
cyst |
a
swelling at the front of the neck; forms from a duct that
fails to disappear during embryonic development |
| Thyroid
gland |
a
gland located in the front of the neck below the voice box
that plays an important role in metabolism (the chemical processes
in the body) and growth; the gland produces thyroid hormone |
| Thyroiditis |
inflammation
of the thyroid gland |
| Thyrotoxicosis |
a
toxic condition resulting from overactivity of the thyroid
gland |
| Thyroxin |
a
hormone produced by the thyroid gland that helps regulate
energy production in the body |
| TIA |
see
Transient ischemic attack |
| Tibia |
the
thicker of the two long bones in the lower leg; commonly called
the shin |
| Tic |
an
involuntary, repetitive movement such as a twitch |
| Tic
douloureux |
see
Trigeminal neuralgia |
| Ticks |
small,
eight-legged animals that can attach to humans and animals
and feed on blood; sometimes spread infectious organisms via
their bites |
| Tietze's
syndrome |
inflammation
of the cartilage that joins ribs to the breastbone, causing
chest pain |
| Tinea |
a
group of common infections occurring on the skin, hair, and
nails that are caused by a fungus; commonly referred to as
ringworm |
| Tinnitus |
a
persistent ringing or buzzing sound in the ear |
| Tipped
uterus |
an
abnormal condition in which the uterus is tilted backward
instead of slightly forward |
| Tissue
plasminogen activator |
a
substance produced by the body and as a genetically engineered
drug to prevent abnormal blood clotting |
| Tissue
typing |
tests
used to determine the compatibility of tissues used in grafts
and transplants |
| T-lymphocyte |
a
type of white blood cell that fights infections and destroys
abnormal cells directly; as compared with releasing antibodies
to fight infection |
| T-lymphocyte
killer cell |
a
type of T-lymphocyte white blood cell that attaches to abnormal
cells and releases chemicals that destroy them |
| TMJ
syndrome |
see
Temporomandibular joint syndrome |
| Tolerance |
decreased
sensitivity of the body to a certain drug, usually either
because the liver becomes more efficient at breaking down
the drug or the body's tissues become less sensitive to it;
increased tolerance creates a need for a higher dose of the
drug in order to have the same effects |
| Tonometry |
the
procedure used to measure the pressure within the eye; is
useful in detecting glaucoma |
| Tonsillectomy |
surgical
removal of the tonsils, usually to treat tonsillitis |
| Tonsillitis |
infection
and inflammation of the tonsils |
| Tonsils |
masses
of lymphoid tissue located at either side of the back of the
throat |
| Tourette's
syndrome |
a
movement disorder characterized by involuntary tics and noises,
and in some cases uncontrollable shouting of obscenities |
| Tourniquet |
a
device placed tightly around an arm or leg in order to stop
blood flow; can be used to locate veins in order to take a
blood sample or to control blood flow during some operations
|
| Toxemia |
the
presence of bacterial toxins in the blood |
| Toxic
epidermal necrolysis |
a
severe rash in which the outer layers of skin blister and
peel off |
| Toxicity |
the
extent to which a substance is poisonous |
| Toxic
shock syndrome |
a
life-threatening condition caused by a staphylococci toxin |
| Toxin |
a
poisonous substance |
| Toxocariasis |
human
infestation with the larvae of a worm found in the intestines
of dogs |
| Toxoplasmosis |
a
common protozoan infection that is usually only dangerous
to a fetus in early pregnancy or a person who is immunocompromised
|
| TPA |
see
Tissue plasminogen activator |
| Trachea |
the
tube running from the larynx (the voice box) down the neck
and into the upper part of the chest, where it divides to
form the two bronchi of the lungs; commonly called the windpipe |
| Tracheitis |
inflammation
of the trachea |
| Tracheotomy |
insertion
of a tube through a surgical opening in the trachea to maintain
an open airway |
| Trachoma |
a
persistent, contagious form of conjunctivitis that can lead
to complications such as blindness if untreated |
| Traction |
the
use of tension to hold a body part in place or to correct
or prevent an alignment problem |
| Transcutaneous |
through
the skin |
| Transcutaneous
electrical nerve stimulation |
a
method of relieving pain by applying tiny electrical impulses
to nerve endings beneath the skin |
| Transferrin |
a
substance in the blood that transports iron throughout the
body |
| Transient
ischemic attack |
a
temporary block in the supply of blood to the brain, resulting
in temporary loss of sensation, movement, vision, or speech;
often called mini-strokes and can be precursors to a real
stroke |
| Transmissible |
able
to be passed from one organism to another |
| Transplant |
transferring
a healthy tissue or organ to replace a damaged tissue or organ;
also refers to the tissue or organ transplanted |
| Transurethral
prostatectomy |
removal
of cancerous tissue from the prostate gland using a resectoscope
(a long, narrow instrument passed up the urethra), which allows
the surgeon to simultaneously view the prostate and cut away
the cancerous tissue |
| Trauma |
physical
injury or emotional shock |
| Travelers'
diarrhea |
diarrhea
when traveling in a foreign country, caused by contaminated
food or water |
| Tremor |
an
involuntary, rhythmic, shaking movement caused by alternating
contraction and relaxation of muscles; can be the normal result
of age or the abnormal effect of a disorder |
| Triage |
a
system used to classify sick or injured people according to
the severity of their conditions |
| Trichiasis |
growth
of the eyelashes inward toward the cornea, causing persistent
irritation of the eyeball |
| Trichinosis |
infestation
by the larvae of the parasitic worm Trichinella spiralis,
usually acquired by eating undercooked pork |
| Trichomoniasis |
infection
of the vagina by the single-celled parasite Trichomonas vaginilis,
which may cause inflammation, itchiness, and discharge from
the vagina |
| Tricuspid
valve |
the
valve located between the two left chambers of the heart (the
left atrium and the left ventricle) |
| Tricyclic
antidepressants |
drugs
used in the treatment of clinical depression |
| Trigeminal
neuralgia |
a
disorder of the trigeminal nerve (a cranial nerve) that causes
brief attacks of severe pain in the lips, cheeks, gums, or
chin on one side of the face |
| Triglyceride |
the
main form of fat in the blood; determining levels of triglyceride
is useful in diagnosing and treating diabetes, high blood
pressure, and heart disease |
| Trimester |
one
of three periods lasting about 3 months each; the stages into
which pregnancy is divided |
| Triple
X syndrome |
the
presence of an extra X chromosome in a woman, which may cause
some degree of mental retardation |
| Trismus |
the
medical term for lockjaw |
| Trisomy |
the
presence in the cells of three copies of a certain chromosome
instead of the normal two copies |
| Trisomy
21 |
see
Down syndrome |
| Tubal
ligation |
a
procedure in which the fallopian tubes are cut and tied off;
usually a permanent form of sterilization |
| Tubal
pregnancy |
a
pregnancy that occurs in the fallopian tubes, with a fertilized
egg implanting in the tube instead of the uterus; severely
painful and can be fatal if not detected and treated |
| Tuberculin
test |
skin
tests performed to determine previous infection with tuberculosis;
can help rule out the possibility of being currently infected
with tuberculosis |
| Tuberculosis |
an
infectious bacterial disease transmitted through the air that
mainly affects the lungs |
| Tuberous
sclerosis |
a
genetic disorder of the skin and nervous system characterized
by epilepsy, mental retardation, and a skin condition resembling
acne |
| Tuboplasty |
surgical
repair of a damaged fallopian tube to treat infertility |
| Tumor |
an
abnormal mass that occurs when cells in a certain area reproduce
unchecked; can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign) |
| Tunnel
vision |
loss
of peripheral vision so that only objects directly ahead can
be seen; most commonly due to damage caused by increased pressure
within the eye (glaucoma) |
| Turner's
syndrome |
a
genetic disorder in women in which only one X chromosome is
present, or both chromosomes are present but one is defective
|
| Tympanic
membrane |
the
medical term for the eardrum |
| Tympanoplasty |
a
surgical procedure used to treat hearing loss in which the
eardrum or structures in the middle ear are repaired |
| Typhoid
fever |
an
acute bacterial infection causing fever, headache, abdominal
discomfort, and enlargement of the liver and spleen |
| Typhus |
a
group of diseases caused by the microorganism rickettsia,
spread by the bites of fleas, mites, or ticks; symptoms include
headache, fever, rash, and a series of complications if untreated |
