Medical Dictionary Definitions A-Z List
Medical Dictionary Definitions A - Z - «D»:
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Dermoid
Dermoid: Also called a dermoid cyst of the ovary,
this is a bizarre tumor, usually benign, in the ovary that typically
contains a diversity of tissues including hair, teeth, bone, thyroid,
etc.
A dermoid cyst develops from a totipotential germ cell (a primary
oocyte) that is retained within the ...
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Dermoid cyst of the ovary
Dermoid cyst of the ovary : A bizarre tumor, usually
benign, in the ovary that typically contains a diversity of tissues
including hair, teeth, bone, thyroid, etc.
A dermoid cyst develops from a totipotential germ cell (a primary
oocyte) that is retained within the egg sac (ovary). Being
to...
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Dermopathy
Dermopathy: Any disease of the skin. Synonymous with
dermatopathy. ...
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Dermopathy, diabetic
Dermopathy, diabetic: See: Diabetic dermopathy....
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DES
DES: Diethylstilbestrol, the earliest synthetic (man-made) form of a
hormone in the
estrogen class.
DES was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages and premature births. Its usage was standard practice in the 1950s and 1960s. Millions of women received the drug.
Girls whose mothers were ...
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Descending aorta
Descending aorta: The descending aorta is the part of the aorta, the largest artery in the body, that runs down through the chest and the abdomen. The descending aorta starts after the arch of the aorta and ends by splitting into two great arteries (the common iliac arteries) that go to the legs. ...
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Descending pathway
Descending pathway: A nerve pathway that goes down the spinal cord and allows the brain to control movement of the body below the head.
In contrast, ascending pathways are nerve pathways that go upward from the spinal cord toward the brain carrying sensory information from the body to the brain....
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Desensitization, allergy
Desensitization, allergy: Stimulation of the immune system with gradually increasing doses of the substances to which a person is allergic, the aim being to modify or stop the allergy "war" (by reducing the strength of
the IgE and its effect on the mast cells). This form of treatment is ve...
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Desert fever
Desert fever: A disease also called coccidioidomycosis (CM) due to a fungus called Coccidioides immitis. About 40% of people infected with this fungus develop symptoms. Most often they have an influenza-like illness with fever, cough, headaches, rash, and myalgias (muscle pains). Of those people wit...
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Desiccate
Desiccate: To remove the moisture from a thing that
normally contains moisture, such as a plant; to dry out completely;
to preserve by drying. The process of desiccating a thing is called
desiccation; an agent used to bring about desiccation is called a
desiccant or a desiccator.
Manufacturers...
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Designer estrogen
Designer estrogen: An engineered drug that possesses
some, but not all, of the actions of estrogen. Designer estrogens are selective
estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs). For example, raloxifene (trade name Evista) is
classified as a SERM because it prevents bone loss (like estrogen) and lowers seru...
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Designer steroid
Designer steroid: A synthetic steroid derived by simple chemical modification from another steroid, usually an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids, which build muscle mass, can have serious long-term health consequences in men, women, and children....
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Desmoid tumor
Desmoid tumor: A benign soft tissue tumor that occurs most often in young adults and involves the limbs or trunk but can also arise in the abdomen or thorax.
Desmoid tumors are benign. They never metastasize (spread to other parts of the body). However, they are very difficult to remove because they...
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Desmoplasia
Desmoplasia: This term refers to the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. Some tumors elicit a desmoplastic reaction, the pervasive growth of dense fibrous tissue around the tumor. Scar tissue (adhesion) within the abdomen after abdominal surgery is another type of desmoplastic reaction.
"Desmo-"...
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Desmoplastic
Desmoplastic: This term refers to the growth of fibrous or connective tissue. Some tumors elicit a desmoplastic reaction, the pervasive growth of dense fibrous tissue around the tumor. Scar tissue (adhesion) within the abdomen after
abdominal surgery is another type of desmoplastic reaction.
"Desmo...
