Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «B»:
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Benign
Benign: Not cancer. Not malignant. A benign tumor does not invade surrounding tissue or spread to other parts of the body. A benign tumor may grow but it stays put (in the same place).
In a general sense, "benign" means of a mild character that does not threaten health or life. Floaters in the eye a...
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Benign intracranial hypertension
Benign intracranial hypertension: Increased pressure within the brain in the absence of a tumor. Symptoms may include headache, nausea, vomiting, pulsating intracranial noises, singing in the ears, double vision, loss of visual accuracy, and even blindness. It is most common in women between the ag...
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Benign lymphoreticulosis
Benign lymphoreticulosis:
Cat scratch disease, a mild flu-like infection, with swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenitis) and mild fever of short duration, due to cat scratches, especially from kittens. There is usually a little bump (a papule) which may be pus-filled (a pustule) at the site of the scratch...
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Benign melanoma
Benign melanoma: See: Melanoma, benign....
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Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV): A balance disorder that results in the sudden onset of dizziness, spinning, or vertigo when moving the head....
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Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia: Abbreviated BPH. A noncancerous prostate problem in which the normal elements of the prostate gland grow in size and number. Their sheer bulk may compress the urethra, which courses through the center of the prostate, impeding the flow of urine from the bladder through...
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Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Benign prostatic hypertrophy: See: Benign prostatic hyperplasia....
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Benign recurrent aseptic meningitis
Benign recurrent aseptic meningitis: Recurring meningitis without identifiable cause that leaves no residual damage to the nervous system. Benign recurrent aseptic meningitis is also called Mollaret meningitis.
The cause of benign recurrent aseptic meningitis is not known.
Benign recurrent aseptic m...
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Benign sleep myoclonus
Benign sleep myoclonus: A distinctive disorder of sleep in infancy characterized by rhythmic myoclonic jerks (sudden muscle contractions) which occur when the child is asleep and which stop when the child is awakened. Sleep myoclonus usually disappears after a few weeks, in most cases by 3 months of...
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Benjamin Spock
Benjamin Spock: See: Spock, Benjamin....
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Benzene
Benzene: A sweet smelling, highly toxic hydrocarbon. Long-term exposure to benzene is known to cause anemia and leukemia. The anemia associated with benzene exposure is termed aplastic anemia. The types of leukemia associated with benzene exposure are adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic l...
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Benzidine
Benzidine: A compound used mainly for dyeing textiles and paper that is a known human carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Benzidine was one of the first chemicals for which an association of occupational exposure and increased incidence of urinary bladder cancer in humans was reported....
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Benzo(a)pyrene
Benzo(a)pyrene: Abbreviated B(a)P. A member of a class of compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). B(a)P, along with other PAHs, is suspected of causing cancer in humans....
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Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines: A class of drugs that act as tranquilizers and are commonly used in the treatment of anxiety. Benzodiazepines can cause drowsiness....
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BER
BER: Base excision repair....
