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D
DDS - Doctor of Dental Surgery.
debridement - the surgical removal of foreign material
and/or dead, damaged, or infected tissue from a wound or burn.
decibel - unit that measures the intensity or loudness
of sound.
deciduous teeth - also known as "baby" or primary
teeth.
defecation - passage of bowel contents through the rectum
and anus.
defecography - x-ray of the anus and rectum to see how
the muscles work to move stool.
defibrillator - an electronic device used to establish
normal heartbeat.
delayed gastric emptying - gastroparesis.
delusions - a condition in which the patient has lost
touch with reality and experiences hallucinations and misperceptions.
dendrite - a thread-like extension from a nerve cell
that serves as an antenna to receive messages from the axons of other
nerve cells.
dental amalgams (Also called silver fillings.) - a mixture
of mercury (45 to 50 percent) and an alloy of silver, tin, and copper
(50 to 55 percent) used to repair decayed teeth.
dental fluorosis - a condition that results from drinking
overly fluoridated water that often causes the teeth to become discolored
and the enamel of the teeth to look spotted, pitted, or stained.
dental implants - small dental appliances that are inserted
into the upper and lower jaws to help restore a mouth that has little
or no non-restorable teeth.
dental pulp - the soft tissue around the tooth that contains
nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue.
dental sealant - a thin, plastic film that is painted
on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth - the molars and premolars -
to prevent tooth decay.
depth perception - the ability to distinguish objects
in a visual field.
dermatopathology - the study of the skin in diagnosing
skin diseases.
descending colon - the middle part of the colon located
on the left side of the abdomen.
diabetes: (a.k.a. “Sugar”) Any of several
metabolic disorders marked by excessive discharge of urine and persistent
thirst, especially one of the two types of diabetes mellitus.
diabetes mellitus: A severe, chronic form of diabetes
caused by insufficient production of insulin and resulting in abnormal
metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
diagnosis - identifying a disease by its signs, symptoms,
and laboratory findings.
diaphragm - primary muscle used for respiration, located
just below the lung bases.
diastolic blood pressure - the lowest blood pressure
measure in the arteries, which occurs between heartbeats.
diathermy machine - a piece of equipment used in the
operating room to control bleeding.
digestants - medicines that aid or stimulate digestion.
digestion - process the body uses to break down food
into simple substances for energy, growth, and cell repair.
digestive system - the group of organs that break down
foods into chemical components that the body can absorb and use for energy,
and for building and repairing cells and tissues.
digital rectal exam (DRE) - procedure in which the physician
inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to examine the rectum and the
prostate gland for signs of cancer.
dilate - relax; expand.
dilation and curettage (D & C) - a common gynecological
surgery which consists of widening the cervical canal with a dilator and
scraping the uterine cavity with a curette.
diplopia - double vision.
disc herniation (Also called disc prolapse, disc bulge,
or slipped disc.) - disruption to the normal integrity of the intervertebral
disc.
distention - bloating or swelling of the abdomen.
diuretic - a medication that lowers blood pressure.
diverticulosis - condition that occurs when small pouches
(diverticula) push outward through weak spots in the colon.
diverticulum - small pouch in the colon. These pouches
are not painful or harmful unless they become infected or irritated.
DMD - Doctor of Dental Medicine.
dopa decarboxylase - an enzyme present in the body that
converts levodopa to dopamine.
dopamine - a chemical substance, a neurotransmitter,
found in the brain that regulates movement, balance, and walking.
dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) - imaging technique
that uses a very low dose of radiation to measure bone density for the
diagnosis of osteoporosis.
dumping syndrome (Also called rapid gastric emptying.)
- condition that occurs when food moves too fast from the stomach into
the small intestine.
durable power of attorney - a legal document denoting
a friend or family member as your legal guardian in case you are unable
to make medical decisions for yourself.
dysarthia - group of speech disorders caused by disturbances
in the strength or coordination of the muscles of the speech mechanism
as a result of damage to the brain or nerves.
dysentery - infectious disease of the colon. Symptoms
include bloody, mucus-filled diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and loss
of fluids from the body.
dysequilibrium - any disturbance of balance.
dysfluency - disruption in the smooth flow or expression
of speech.
dysgeusia - distortion or absence of the sense of taste.
dyskinesia - an involuntary movement including athetosis
and chorea.
dysosmia - distortion or absence of the sense of smell.
dyspareunia - pain in the vagina or pelvis experienced
during sexual intercourse.
dyspepsia - indigestion.
dysphagia - difficulty in swallowing.
dysphonia - any impairment of the voice or difficulty
speaking.
dysplasia - an abnormality of growth.
dyspnea - shortness of breath.
dyspraxia of speech - partial loss of the ability to
consistently pronounce words in individuals with normal muscle tone and
coordination of the speech muscles.
dysrhythmia - an abnormal heart rhythm.
dystonia - a slow movement or extended spasm in a group
of muscles.
dystrophin - a protein found in normal muscle tissue.
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