Medications

Multidetector CT: See: Multidetector computed tomography. Last Editorial Review: 11/17/2004 Multidetector computed tomography: (MDCT) A form of computed tomography (CT) technology for diagnostic imaging. In MDCT, a two-dimensional array of detec...

Multidetector computed tomography - Medical

Multidetector computed tomography: (MDCT) A form of computed tomography (CT) technology for diagnostic imaging. In MDCT, a two-dimensional array of detector elements replaces the linear array of detector elements used in typical conventional and hel...

Multicentric - Medical

Multicentric: Having more than one center. A term often applied to tumors. A minority of Wilms tumors are multicentric and appear to represent separate tumors. A multicentric breast cancer involves two or more distinct primary tumors, usually in diff...

Multicellular - Medical

Multicellular: Consisting of more than one cell. Humans are multicellular and have been estimated to possess 100,000 billion cells. Multicellular is as opposed to unicellular.Last Editorial Review: 6/17/2004 Unicellular: Consisting of one cell only...

Multi-infarct dementia - Medical

Multi-infarct dementia: Dementia brought on by a series of strokes. See Vascular dementia.Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM Dementia facts* Introduction to dementia What is dementia? What are the different kinds of dementia? Alz...

Mule - Medical

Mule: In the drug trade, a person who transports a drug by internally concealing it. Also called a body packer. See: Body packer. Last Editorial Review: 12/31/2003 Body packer: An individual who ingests wrapped packets of illicit drugs such as coca...

Muir-Torre syndrome - Medical

Muir-Torre syndrome: A genetic syndrome characterized by a combination of sebaceous tumors of the skin and one or more internal malignancies, most often colon cancer. The types of sebaceous skin neoplasia include sebaceous adenoma, sebaceous epitheli...

Mucus, nasal - Medical

Mucus, nasal: See: Nasal mucus.Last Editorial Review: 1/18/2004 Nasal mucus: A slippery fluid produced by the membranes lining the nose. Excessive nasal mucus is the basis of a runny nose. Mucus is the Latin word for "a semifluid, slimy discharge ...

Mucus plug - Medical

Mucus plug: An accumulation of mucus and thick fluid that blocks the opening of the cervix (the opening from the uterus to the vagina) during pregnancy. The mucus plug serves to protect the uterus and the fetus by preventing bacteria from enter...

Mucus colitis - Medical

Mucus colitis: A common gastrointestinal disorder involving an abnormal condition of gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea and constipation, ...

Mucus - Medical

Mucus: A thick slippery fluid produced by the membranes lining certain organs such as the nose, mouth, throat, and vagina. Mucus is the Latin word for "a semifluid, slimy discharge from the nose." Note that mucus is a noun while the adjective is muc...

Mucoviscidosis - Medical

Mucoviscidosis: An old name (but one that has prevailed in France and some other nations) for cystic fibrosis (CF), one of the most common and serious of all genetic (inherited) diseases. The CF gene is carried by 1/20 persons (in Caucasian popula...

Mucous - Medical

Mucous: Pertaining to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the body. "Mucus" without an "o" is the Latin noun for "a slimy semifluid discharge from the nose." "Mucous" with an "o" is the corresponding adjective. Last Edito...

Mucositis - Medical

Mucositis: Inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the digestive tract from the mouth on down to the anus. Mucositis is a common side effect of chemotherapy and of radiotherapy that involves any part of the digestive tract. Mucositis affects ...

Mucosa - Medical

Mucosa: Having to do with a mucous membrane. For example, the oral mucosa. Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...

Mucormycosis - Medical

Mucormycosis: Also known as zygomycosis, mucormycosis is a fungal infection (most commonly of the sinuses, brain, or lungs) by fungi found normally in the soil or in decaying vegetation. Mucormycosis can also affect the gastrointestinal tract, skin...

Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome - Medical

Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome: A syndrome of unknown origin that mainly affects young children. It causes fever, reddening of the eyes (conjunctivitis) and lips and mucous membranes of the mouth, ulcerative gum disease (gingivitis), swoll...

MTX - Medical

MTX: Abbreviation for methotrexate.Last Editorial Review: 2/27/2004 Methotrexate: A drug that acts as an antimetabolite and specifically as a folic acid antagonist that inhibits the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein. Methotrexate (MTX) is used to t...

mtDNA - Medical

mtDNA: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the DNA of the mitochondrion, a structure situated in the cytoplasm of the cell rather than in the nucleus (where all the other chromosomes are located). All mtDNA is inherited from the mother. There are 2 to 10 ...

MSUD - Medical

MSUD: Abbreviation for maple syrup urine disease.Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM Maple syrup urine disease: Hereditary disease due to deficiency of an enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism, characterized by urine that smells like map...

MSTN - Medical

MSTN: The gene for myostatin.Last Editorial Review: 6/24/2004 Gene: The basic biological unit of heredity. A segment of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) needed to contribute to a function. An official definition: According to the official Guidelines f...

MST - Medical

MST:: A multiple subpial transection (MST) is a procedure is used to help control seizures that begin in areas of the brain that cannot be safely removed. The surgeon makes a series of shallow cuts (transections) in the brain tissue. These c...

MSG - Medical

MSG: Monosodium glutamate, a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid that enhances the flavor of certain foods. Originally isolated from seaweed, MSG is now made by fermenting corn, potatoes and rice. It does not enhance the four basic tastes (bi...

MSBP - Medical

MSBP: Munchhausen syndrome by proxy. Last Editorial Review: 8/8/2004 Munchausen syndrome by proxy: A parenting disorder in which the parent either fabricates an illness or induces an illness in their child. Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP) ...

MSAFP (maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein) - Medical

MSAFP (maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein): The presence of AFP, a plasma protein normally produced by the fetus, in the mother's blood. The MSAFP serves as the basis for some valuable tests. AFP is manufactured principally in the fetus's li...

MS/MS - Medical

MS/MS: Abbreviation for tandem mass spectrometry. See: Tandem mass spectrometry.Last Editorial Review: 11/19/2003 Tandem mass spectrometry: An instrument used in medical laboratories consisting of two mass spectrometers in series connected by a cham...

MS - Medical

MS: 1. Multiple sclerosis. See also entry to: Multiple sclerosis. 2. Mass spectrometry.Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM Medical Author: Fernando Dangond, MD ...

MRSI - Medical

MRSI: Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Last Editorial Review: 11/6/2004 Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging: (MRSI) A noninvasive imaging method that provides information about cellular activity (metabolic information). It is us...

MRSA infection - Medical

MRSA infection: Frequently used abbreviation for: Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus. Last Editorial Review: 8/14/2004 Medical Author: Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD ...

mRNA - Medical

mRNA: Messenger RNA, the key intermediary in gene expression, translating the DNA's genetic code into the amino acids that make up proteins.Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2011 5:27:15 PM...