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Medical Dictionary: t

Word	Definition
t wave	The positive deflection after each QRS complex. It indicates ventricular repolarization.
t.i.d.	three times a day
t.i.n.	three times a night
T3	triiodothyronine
T4	thyroxine
tab	tablet
tachy-	fast
tachycardia	Abnormally rapid heartbeat, usually over 100 beats per minute for adults. Tachycardia accompanied by an irregular rhythm is called tachyarrhythmia.
tachypnea	Abnormally rapid breathing rate.
tact/o	touch
TAH	total abdominal hysterectomy
tal/o	talus, ankle
talc	Finely powdered magnesium silicate used as a dusting powder.
talus	The second largest of the tarsal bones, articulating with the tibia and fibula to form the ankle joint.
tampons	Plugs or cylinders made of cotton, sponge, or other absorbent material used in surgery to absorb fluids.
tarlov cysts	Perineurial cysts commonly found in the sacral region.
tars/o	tarsal bone (ankle), edge of eyelid
tarsal	Pertaining to the bones of the ankle and foot.
tarsal bones	The seven bones which form the tarsus: calcaneus, talus, cuboid, navicular, and the internal, middle, and external cuneiforms.
tarsal joints	The articulations between the various tarsal bones.
tarsalgia	Pain in the foot.
tarsorrhaphy	Joining of part or all of the upper and lower eyelids so as to partially or completely close the eye.
tarsus	The bones of the ankle and proximal part of the foot.
taste	The sense of perceiving different flavors in soluble substances that contact the tongue and trigger nerve impulses to special taste centers in the cortex and the thalamus of the brain. The four basic traditional tastes are sweet, salty, sour and bitter.
taste buds	Small sensory organs which contain gustatory receptor cells, basal cells and supporting cells. Taste buds in humans are found in the epithelia of the tongue, palate, and pharynx.
TAT	tetanus antitoxin
taut-	same
tax/o	order, coordination
-taxia	ordering, arrangement
taxis	Returning a body part back to its normal position after a dislocation, fracture or hernia.
TB	tuberculosis
TBV	total blood volume
TDM	therapeutic drug monitoring
tears	The fluid secreted by the lacrimal glands. This fluid moistens the conjunctiva and cornea.
techn/o	skill, art
tect/o	roof
tectorial membrane	A membrane, present in the cochlea of the inner ear, that runs parallel with the basilar membrane.
tectospinal	Denoting nerve fibers passing from the mesencephalic tectum to the spinal cord.
tectum	A roof-like structure of the midbrain.
teg-	cover
tel/o	complete, end
tela	Any thin web like structure or tissue.
tele/o	distance, end
telemedicine	Delivery of health services via remote communications. This includes interactive consultative and diagnostic services.
telencephalon	The anterior subdivision of the prosencephalon which develops into the olfactory bulbs, cerebral cortex and basal ganglia.
telomere	The end of a chromosome, which is involved in chromosomal replication and stability.
telophase	The final phase of mitosis.
temp/o	time
temperature	The sensible intensity of heat of any substance.
temporal arteries	Arteries arising from the external carotid or the maxillary artery and distributing to the temporal region.
temporal bone	Either of a pair of compound bones forming the lateral surfaces and base of the skull which contains the organs of hearing.
temporal lobe	One of the main divisions of the cerebral cortex in each hemisphere of the brain, responsible for auditory, olfactory, and semantic processing.
TEN	toxic epidermal necrolysis
ten/o	tendon
tenaculum	A surgical instrument for lifting and holding tissue or a body part.
tendin/o	tendon
tendinitis	Inflammation of a tendon.
tendinosis	Degeneration of a tendon.
tendinous	Relating to tendons.
tendon	A strap of white fibrous connective tissue that joins muscle to bone.
tenesmus	A straining but ineffective attempt to urinate or defecate.
tennis elbow	A condition characterized by pain in or near the lateral humeral epicondyle or in the forearm extensor muscle mass as a result of unusual strain.
tenodesis	Fixation of the end of a tendon to a bone, often by suturing.
tenoplasty	Surgical repair of a tendon.
tenosynovitis	Inflammation of the synovial lining of a tendon sheath.
tenotomy	Surgical division of a tendon for relief of a congenital deformity of a joint.
TENS	transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
-tension	stretched, strained
tensor	Any muscle that causes stretching or tension of a body part.
tephr/o	gray, ash-colored
tera-	trillion
terat/o	monster, monstrosity
teratology	A branch of embryology for the study of congenital malformations and developmental abnormalities.
teratoma	A true neoplasm composed of different types of tissue, none of which is normally found the area in which the neoplasm occurs.
term birth	childbirth at the end of a normal duration of pregnancy, between 37 to 40 weeks of gestation.
terti-	third
test/i	testicle
testicle	The testis and its ducts.
testis	Either of the two male gonads located in the cavity of the scrotum.
testosterone	A hormone produced by the testicles. Responsible for maintaining muscle mass, bone density and sex drive.
TET	tetralogy of Fallot
tetan/o	tetanus
tetanus	An acute, potentially fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by a powerful protein toxin produced by Clostridium tetani. Tetanus usually occurs after an acute injury, such as a puncture wound or laceration. Also called lockjaw.
tetany	A disorder consisting of muscle spasms, cramps and twitching. Tetany usually results from hypocalcemia.
tetra-	four
tetralogy of fallot	Tetralogy of Fallot is a rare congenital heart defect. It is a combination of four defects which result in oxygen-poor blood flow.
TFS	testicular feminization syndrome
thalam/o	thalamus
thalamus	Paired bodies containing mostly gray matter and forming part of the lateral wall of the third ventricle of the brain.
thalassemia	An inherited blood disorder characterized by an abnormal form of hemoglobin.
thanat-	death
thec-	case, sheath
theca	A sheath, case or capsule.
thecoma	A neoplasm derived from ovarian mesenchyme.
thel/e	nipple
thelarche	The beginning of breast development at puberty.
thelo-	nipple
therapeutics	Procedures concerned with the remedial treatment or prevention of diseases.
-therapy	treatment
theri/o	animals, beasts
therm/o	heat, temperature
thermoalgesia	Abnormal pain felt when part of the body is warmed.
thermogenesis	The generation of heat in order to maintain body temperature.
thermolysis	Dissipation of body heat by evaporation of sweat, radiation or other means.
thermophore	Any substance that retains heat for a long period of time.
thigm/o	touch
thinking	The act of reasoning. Cognition.
thio-	presence of sulphur
thorac/o	chest, pleural cavity
thoracentesis	Removal of fluid or air from the thoracic cavity, usually with a needle.
thoracic	Pertaining to the chest.
thoracic cavity	The region of the thorax that includes the pleural cavity and mediastinum.
thoracotomy	Surgical incision into the chest wall.
thorax	The chest cavity. Principal organs are the heart and lungs.
-thorax	chest, pleural cavity
THR	total hip replacement
threshold	The point at which a stimulus produces a sensation or evokes a response.
thrill	A vibratory, ringing sound. Sometimes used to describe a heart murmur.
thromb/o	blood clot
thrombectomy	Surgical removal of an obstructing clot or foreign material from a blood vessel at the point of its formation.
thrombocytes	Platelets. A blood component helps to stop bleeding by clumping and clotting blood vessel injuries.
thrombocytopenia	A low level of blood platelets. Platelet count < 150,000/ml
thrombocytosis	High blood platelet count. Platelet count > 450,000/ml
thrombolysis	The dissolution of a thrombus.
thrombolytic	Dissolving or breaking up a thrombus.
thrombophilia	A disorder of hemostasis in which there is a tendency for the occurrence of thrombosis.
thrombosis	The formation and development of a blood clot in a blood vessel.
thumb	The first digit on the radial side of the hand opposite the other four digits.
thym/o	thymus gland
thymectomy	Surgical removal of the thymus gland.
-thymia	state of mind
thymocytes	Lymphocyte arising in the thymus.
thymoma	A neoplasm originating from thymic tissue, usually benign, and frequently encapsulated.
thymosin	A hormone secreted by the thymus.
thymus	An organ that is part of the lymphatic system, in which T lymphocytes grow and multiply. The thymus is in the chest behind the breastbone.
thyr/o	thyroid gland
thyroid	A highly vascularized endocrine gland that regulates metabolism. It consists of two lobes joined by a thin band of tissue with one lobe on each side of the trachea.
thyroidectomy	Surgical removal of the thyroid gland.
thyroiditis	Inflammation of the thyroid gland.
thyroxine	A hormone of the thyroid gland that stimulates the consumption of oxygen.
TIA	transient ischemic attack
tibi/o	tibia
tibia	The medial and larger of the two bones of the lower leg, articulating with the fibula laterally, the talus distally, and the femur proximally.
tibialis	The of two muscles in the leg that extend from the tibia to the metatarsal bones of the foot.
-tic	pertaining to
tick	A blood-sucking acari parasite that penetrates the skin of their host by using a hooked mouth part.
tics	Habitual, repeated, rapid muscle movement or vocalization which are involuntary or semi voluntary.
tidal volume	The volume of air inspired or expired in a single breath during normal breathing.
tinc.	tincture
tinea	A fungal skin infection, including ringworm, athlete's foot and jock itch.
tinnitus	The perception of sound in the head when no outside sound is present. Commonly called 'ringing in the ears'.
-tion	process of
tissue	A group of differentiated cells that perform a specific function. There are four basic tissues in the body: epithelium, connective (including bone, blood and cartilage), muscle and nerve.
titubation	Walking with a staggering or stumbling gait.
TKO	to keep open
TKR	total knee replacement
TLC	total lung capacity
TM	tympanic membrane
TMJ	temporomandibular joint
TNF	tumor necrosis factor
TNM	tumor, node, metastasis
toc/o	labor, birth
-tocia	condition of birth, labor
tom/o	section, slice
-tome	instrument to cut
tomography	Imaging methods that shows a single plane (slice) of the body.
-tomy	cutting, incision
ton/o	tension, tone
tongue	A muscular organ in the mouth that is covered with pink tissue called mucosa, tiny bumps called papillae, and thousands of taste buds. It is vital for chewing, swallowing and for speech.
tonic	Pertaining to normal muscle tone.
tonometry	A test that measures intraocular pressure.
tonsill/o	tonsil
tonsillectomy	Surgical removal of a tonsil
tonsillitis	Inflammation of the tonsils, usually caused by bacterial infection.
tonsils	A pair of soft lymphoid tissue masses located at the rear of the throat. Part of the immune system.
tooth	One of a set of bone-like structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing.
toothache	Pain in or around a tooth.
top.	topically
top/o	place
topical	Pertaining to a particular area.
topography	The description of a body part in relation to surrounding structures.
torpor	A state of decreased activity characterized by depressed metabolism, reduced body temperature and low sensitivity to external stimuli.
torque	The rotational force about an axis.
tors/o	twisted
torsades de pointes	A form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that is characterized by heart rate between 200 and 250 beats per minute, and QRS complexes with changing amplitude and twisting of the points.
torsion	A twisting force.
torso	The central part of the body to which the neck and limbs are attached.
touch	Sensations arising from making physical contact with objects. Tactile stimuli are detected by receptors in the skin and mucous membranes.
tourette syndrome	A neuropsychological disorder appearing in childhood, marked by multiple motor and vocal tics occurring multiple times daily over a period of more than one year.
tourniquet	A band for the compression of a blood vessel, used to stop bleeding or prevent spread of snake venom.
tox/o	poison
toxemia	The presence of bacterial toxins in the blood. Also called blood poisoning.
toxicity	The degree to which a substance is poisonous.
toxicology	The science concerned with the detection, chemical composition, and biological action of toxic substances or poisons and the treatment and prevention of toxic manifestations.
toxicosis	A diseased condition due to poisoning.
toxin	A poison produced by animals, plants or bacteria.
toxoid	A preparation of poisonous materials made nontoxic and intended for active immunologic prophylaxis.
toxoplasmosis	A parasitic infection by Toxoplasma gondii. Most infections are asymptomatic.
TPN	total parenteral nutrition
TPR	temperature, pulse, and respiration
trache/o	trachea (windpipe)
trachea	The wind pipe. Cartilaginous and membranous tube descending from the larynx and branching into the right and left main bronchi.
tracheostomy	Surgical creation of an opening into the trachea to insert a tube to facilitate breathing.
tracheotomy	Surgical incision of the trachea.
trachoma	A chronic infection of the conjunctiva and cornea caused by chlamydia trachomatis.
tractotomy	Surgical incision of a nerve tract, usually to relieve pain.
trance	A sleeplike state of altered consciousness and diminution of motor activity,
tranquillizer	A drug that reduces stress without diminishing mental clarity.
trans-	across, through
transdermal	Entering through the skin.
transducer	Any device or element which converts an input signal into an output signal of a different form.
transection	Cutting across the tissue of an organ.
transference	The unconscious transfer to others of feelings and attitudes which were originally associated with important figures in one's early life.
transfusion	The transfer of blood from one person to another.
transient	Short lived.
transplantation	Transference of a tissue or organ from either an alive or deceased donor, within an individual, between individuals of the same species, or between individuals of different species.
transudation	Passage of a fluid or solute through a membrane.
transverse	Lying across the long axis. Crosswise.
transverse horizontal plane	separates the body's upper and lower sections
trauma	Physical or emotional injuries that are severe and of sudden onset.
trematode	Any of a large number of parasitic flatworms of the class Trematoda including flukes.
tremor	Involuntary shaking, quivering of body parts, commonly the extremities.
trench fever	An acute, infectious, bacterial infection characterized by intervals of chills and fever. Transmitted by body lice.
-tresia	perforation, opening
tri-	three
triage	The process of classifying patients into groups based upon need and likely benefit of treatment
triceps	Muscle with three heads, particularly the muscle on the back of the upper arm that contracts to extend the forearm.
trich/o	hair
trichiasis	A condition of ingrown hair around an orifice, particularly ingrown eyelashes.
trichomoniasis	A sexually transmitted disease caused by a single-celled protozoan parasite.
trichosporonosis	Fungal infections marked by fever or pneumonia.
trichotillomania	Compulsion to pull out one's hair.
tricuspid valve	The heart valve located between the right atrium and right ventricle.
tricuspid valve regurgitation	Back flow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium.
tricuspid valve stenosis	The narrowing of the tricuspid valve opening. Tricuspid valve stenosis is almost always due to rheumatic fever.
trigeminal	Pertaining to the fifth cranial nerve.
trigeminal neuralgia	An inflammation of the trigeminal nerve causing extreme pain and muscle spasms in the face.
trigeminy	A heart condition where an EKG can be grouped into three beat patterns.
trimester	Any of the three successive three month periods of pregnancy.
triplet	One of three offspring born at one birth.
-tripsy	to crush
trismus	Lack of ability to open the mouth fully due to decreased range of motion of the muscles of mastication.
trop/o	turn
troph/o	nourishment, development
-trophic	food, nutrition
-trophy	nourishment, development
-tropia	turn, deviation from normal
-tropic	turning
tropism	The directional growth of an organism in towards or away from light, touch, or gravity.
trusses	A supportive device designed for retaining a hernia in a reduced state within the abdominal cavity.
TSH	thyroid-stimulating hormone
TSS	toxic shock syndrome
tuberculoma	A tumor-like mass resulting from the enlargement of a tuberculous lesion.
tuberculosis	Bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs.
tubule	A small tube.
tularemia	A plague-like disease of rodents, transmissible to humans, marked by fever, chills, headache, backache and weakness.
-tumescence	swelling
tumor	A new growth of tissue in which cell multiplication is uncontrolled and progressive. A neoplasm.
TUR	transurethral resection
TV	tidal volume
twins	Two individuals derived from two fetuses that were fertilized at or about the same time, developed in the uterus simultaneously, and born to the same mother. Twins are either monozygotic or dizygotic.
Tx	treatment
tympan/o	eardrum
tympanic membrane	A thin, oval, semitransparent membrane separating the external ear canal from the tympanic cavity (ear, middle).
tympanocentesis	Needle aspiration of fluid from the middle ear through a puncture in the tympanic membrane.
tympanometry	A test that measures the movement of the tympanic membrane (eardrum).
-type	class
typhlitis	Inflammation of the cecum.
typhoid fever	An acute bacterial infection transmitted by contaminated water, milk or other foods, especially shellfish.
typhus	Any of a group of acute infectious diseases characterized by fever, chills, headache, malaise and rash. Usually transmitted from infected rats by lice, fleas, ticks and mites
tyr/o	cheese