Glossary of medicine

Medicine

Statue of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, holding the symbolic Rod of Asclepius with its coiled serpent
Specialist	Medical specialty
Glossary	Glossary of medicine

This glossary of medical terms is a list of definitions about medicine, its sub-disciplines, and related fields.

Most of the terms listed in Wikipedia glossaries are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, glossaries like this one are useful for looking up, comparing and reviewing large numbers of terms together. You can help enhance this page by adding new terms or writing definitions for existing ones.

A

• AAS – Aarskog-Scott syndrome.
• Aarskog–Scott syndrome – A rare, inherited (X-linked) disease characterized by short stature, facial abnormalities, skeletal and genital anomalies.^[1]
• Abdomen – The part of the body between the chest and pelvis, which contains most of the tubelike organs of the digestive tract, as well as several solid organs.
• Abdominal external oblique muscle – The largest, and outermost, of the three flat muscles of the lateral anterior abdominal wall.
• Abdominal internal oblique muscle – A muscle of the abdominal wall, which lies below the external oblique and just above the transverse abdominal muscles.
• Abductor pollicis brevis muscle – A muscle in the hand that abducts (straightens) the thumb.
• Abductor pollicis longus muscle – One of the extrinsic muscles of the hand. Its major function is to abduct the thumb at the wrist.
• Abscess – A collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body.^[2]
• Accommodation – the process by which the eye focuses on an object.
• Accommodation reflex – a reflex action of the eye, measured as a response to focusing on a near object, then looking at a distant object (and vice versa).
• Acetabulum – a concave surface of the pelvis, which forms the pelvic section of the hip joint.^[3][4]
• Achilles tendon – a tendon of the back of the leg, and the thickest in the human body. It attaches the plantaris, gastrocnemius (calf) and soleus muscles to the calcaneus (heel) bone.
• Acne – a long-term skin disease that occurs when hair follicles are clogged with dead skin cells and oil from the skin.^[5]
• Acne vulgaris – see Acne
• Acupressure – an alternative medicine technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points. Pressure may be applied by hand, by elbow, or with various devices.
• Acupuncture – a form of alternative medicine^[6] in which thin needles are inserted into the body..^[7]
• Adam's apple – the lump or protrusion that is formed by the angle of the thyroid cartilage surrounding the larynx seen especially in males.
• Adaptive immune system –
• Adenoma –
• Adrenal gland –
• Allergy –
• ADHD – Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• Alzheimer's disease –
• Anal canal –
• Anatomy –
• Anesthesiology –
• Angiology –
• Ankle –
• Anterior tibial artery –
• Antibiotics –
• Antibody –
• Aorta –
• Appendix –
• Arm –
• Arteriole –
• Artery –
• Arthritis –
• AS – Asperger syndrome.
• Asperger syndrome –
• Asthma –
• Atrial fibrillation –
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder –
• Auscultation –
• Autism –
• Axilla –
• Axillary artery –

B

• Back –
• Back pain –
• Beta cell –
• Biceps –
• Biceps brachii –
• Bile duct –
• Biliary tract –
• Binge eating disorder –
• Biological engineering –
• Biology –
• Biochemistry –
• Bioinformatics –
• Biopsy –
• Biostatistics –
• Bipolar disorder –
• Birth control –
• Bladder cancer –
• Blood pressure –
• Blood vessel –
• Bone –
• Bone marrow –
• Brachial artery –
• Brachial plexus –
• Brachial veins –
• Brachioradialis –
• Bradycardia –
• Brain –
• Brain tumor –
• Brain metastasis –
• Breast –
• Breast cancer –
• Broca's area –
• Bronchiole –
• Bronchus –
• Bruit –
• Bulimia nervosa –
• Buttocks –

C

• Calcium –
• Calf –
• Cancer –
• Capillary –
• Carcinogen –
• Carcinogenesis –
• Cardiac arrest –
• Cardiac catheterization –
• Cardiac muscle –
• Cardiac surgery –
• Cardiology –
• Cardiothoracic surgery –
• Cardiovascular disease –
• Carotid artery, common –
• Carotid artery, external –
• Carotid artery, internal –
• Carotid artery stenosis –
• Carpal bones –
• Carpal tunnel syndrome –
• Cartilage –
• Cartilaginous joint –
• Catheter –
• Celiac disease –
• Cell biology –
• Central nervous system –
• Cephalic vein –
• Cerebellum –
• Cerebrum –
• Cervical cancer –
• Cervix –
• Cheek –
• Chin –
• Chronic fatigue syndrome –
• Ciliary muscle –
• Circulatory system –
• Clavicle –
• Clinic –
• Clinical research –
• Coccyx –
• Coeliac disease –
• Colorectal surgery –
• Common carotid artery –
• Common cold –
• Common iliac artery –
• Common iliac vein –
• Coronary arteries –
• Corpus callosum –
• Cranial nerves –
• Cure –
• Cytogenetics –
• Cytokine –

D

• Deep circumflex iliac vein –
• Deep temporal arteries –
• Deltoid muscle –
• Dentistry –
• Dermatitis –
• Dermatology –
• Diagnosis –
• Diabetes mellitus –
• Dietary reference intake –
• Differential diagnosis –
• Digestive system –
• Disease –

E

• Ear –
• Ear infection –
• Elbow –
• Embryology –
• Emergency medicine –
• Endocrine system –
• Endocrinology –
• Epidemiology –
• Epiglottis –
• Epilepsy –
• Erectile dysfunction –
• Erector spinae muscles –
• Esophagus –
• Extensor pollicis brevis muscle –
• Extensor pollicis et indicis communis muscle –
• Extensor pollicis longus muscle –
• External carotid artery –
• External iliac artery –
• External iliac vein –
• External jugular vein –
• Eye –
• Eye surgery –

F

• Face –
• Fallopian tube –
• Fellowship (medicine) –
• Female reproductive system –
• Femoral artery –
• Femoral nerve –
• Femoral vein –
• Femur –
• Fibromyalgia –
• Fibrous joint –
• Fibula –
• Finger –
• First aid –
• Flat bone –
• Foot –
• Forearm –
• Forehead –
• Frontal bone –
• Frontal nerve –
• Frontalis muscle –

G

• Gallbladder –
• Gamete –
• Ganglion –
• Gastrocnemius muscle –
• Gastroenterology –
• Gastrointestinal tract –
• Gene therapy –
• General surgery –
• Genetics –
• Genitourinary system –
• Geriatrics –
• Gonad –
• Gracilis muscle –
• Great saphenous vein –
• Gynaecology –

H

• Hand –
• Hand surgery –
• Head –
• Health –
• Health care –
• Hearing –
• Heart –
• Heel –
• Hematology –
• High blood pressure –
• Hip bone –
• Histology –
• Homeostasis –
• Hormone –
• Hospice –
• Hospital –
• Hospital medicine –
• Human back –
• Human body –
• Human brain –
• Human digestive system –
• Human eye –
• Human head –
• Human mouth –
• Human musculoskeletal system –
• Human nose –
• Human reproductive system –
• Human skeleton –
• Humerus –
• Hypersalivation –
• Hypertension –

I

• Iliac artery, common –
• Iliac artery, external –
• Ilium –
• Immune system –
• Immunohistochemistry –
• Immunology –
• Iliac vein, common –
• Iliac vein, deep circumflex –
• Iliac vein, external –
• Iliac vein, internal –
• Index finger –
• Infectious disease (medical specialty) –
• Inferior oblique muscle –
• Inferior thyroid artery –
• Inferior vena cava –
• Influenza –
• Inspection (medicine) –
• Integumentary system –
• Intensive care medicine –
• Internal carotid artery –
• Internal iliac vein –
• Internal jugular vein –
• Internal medicine –
• Internship (medicine) –
• Interventional radiology –
• Ischium –

J

• Jaw –
• Joint –
• Jugular vein –

K

• Kidney –
• Knee –

L

• Large intestine –
• Laryngeal prominence –
• Laryngeal ventricle –
• Ligament –
• Lip –
• Little finger –
• Liver –
• Long bone –
• Lumbar vertebrae –
• Lung –
• Lung cancer –
• Lupus erythematosus –
• Lymph –
• Lymphatic system –
• Lymphatic vessel –
• Lymph node –
• Lymphocyte –

M

• Major depressive disorder –
• Male reproductive system –
• Mammary gland –
• Mandible –
• Masseter muscle –
• Maternal-fetal medicine –
• Maxilla –
• MCAT – Medical College Admission Test.
• Medical biology –
• Medical classification –
• Medical coding –
• Medical College Admission Test –
• Medical device –
• Medical diagnosis –
• Medical ethics –
• Medical history –
• Medical imaging –
• Medical laboratory –
• Medical research –
• Medical school –
• Medical sign –
• Medical speciality –
• Medication –
• Medulla oblongata –
• Metacarpal bones –
• Metatarsal bones –
• Microbiology –
• Middle finger –
• Middle temporal artery –
• Molecular biology –
• Mouth –
• Muscle –
• Muscular system –
• Musculoskeletal system –

N

• Nail –
• Nanobiotechnology –
• Nasal cavity –
• Nasopharynx –
• Navel –
• Nephrology –
• Nerve –
• Nervous system –
• Neurology –
• Neuroscience –
• Neurosurgery –
• Nose –
• Nuclear medicine –
• Nutrition –

O

• Oblique muscle of auricle –
• Obstetrics –
• Obstetrics and gynaecology –
• Occipital bone –
• Ocular surgery –
• Olfaction –
• Oncology –
• Ophthalmology –
• Optometry –
• Organ –
• Oral and maxillofacial surgery –
• Orbicularis oculi muscle –
• Orbicularis oris muscle –
• Orthopedic surgery –
• Ossicles –
• Otitis –
• Otorhinolaryngology –
• Ovary –

P

• Palate –
• Palliative care –
• Palpation –
• Pancreas –
• Parasitology –
• Parathyroid gland –
• Parkinson's disease –
• Patella –
• Pathology –
• Pectineus muscle –
• Pectoralis major muscle –
• Pectoralis minor muscle –
• Pediatrics –
• Pelvis –
• Penis –
• Percussion (medicine) –
• Peripheral nervous system –
• Peripheral vision –
• Phalanx bone –
• Pharmacology –
• Pharynx –
• Physician –
• Physical examination –
• Physiology –
• Pineal gland –
• Pituitary gland –
• Placenta –
• Plastic surgery –
• Pons –
• Posterior tibial artery –
• Preventive healthcare –
• Prognosis –
• Prostate –
• Psychiatry –
• Pubis –
• Pulmonary artery –
• Pulmonary circulation –
• Pulmonary vein –
• Pulmonology –
• Pulse –

Q

• Quadriplegia –

R

• Radial artery –
• Radial nerve –
• Radiology –
• Radius –
• Rectum –
• Rectus abdominis muscle –
• Rectus femoris muscle –
• Red blood cell –
• Renal artery –
• Renal vein –
• Reproductive system –
• Residency (medicine) –
• Respiratory system –
• Rheumatology –
• Rib cage –
• Ring finger –

S

• Sacrum –
• Salivary gland –
• Saphenous nerve –
• Saphenous vein, great –
• Saphenous vein, small –
• Sartorius muscle –
• Scalp –
• Scapula –
• Sciatic nerve –
• Scrotum –
• Sebaceous gland –
• Seminal vesicle –
• Sensory nervous system –
• Sensory processing –
• Serratus anterior muscle –
• Serratus posterior inferior muscle –
• Serratus posterior superior muscle –
• Skeletal muscle –
• Skin –
• Skull –
• Small intestine –
• Small saphenous vein –
• Smooth muscle tissue –
• Special senses –
• Specialty (medicine) –
• Spinal cord –
• Spinal nerve –
• Sole –
• Soleus muscle –
• Spleen –
• Sports medicine –
• Sternohyoid muscle –
• Sternum –
• Stomach –
• Striated muscle tissue –
• Subclavian artery –
• Subcutaneous tissue –
• Superficial temporal artery –
• Superior oblique muscle –
• Superior thyroid artery –
• Superior vena cava –
• Surgery –
• Sweat gland –
• Symptom –
• Synovial bursa –
• Synovial joint –
• Synovial membrane –
• Systemic lupus erythematosus –
• Systems biology –

T

• Tarsus –
• Taste –
• Teeth –
• Temple –
• Temporal arteries, deep –
• Temporal artery, middle –
• Temporal artery, superficial –
• Temporal muscle –
• Tendon –
• Tensor fasciae latae muscle –
• Testicle –
• Thigh –
• Thoracic diaphragm –
• Thorax –
• Throat –
• Thumb –
• Thymus –
• Thyroid –
• Thyroid artery, inferior –
• Thyroid artery, superior –
• Thyroid ima artery –
• Tibia –
• Tibialis anterior muscle –
• Tibialis posterior muscle –
• Tissue –
• Toe –
• Toll-like receptor –
• Tongue –
• Toxicology –
• Trachea –
• Trapezius muscle –
• Triceps brachii muscle –

U

• Ulna –
• Ulnar artery –
• Ulnar nerve –
• Ureter –
• Urethra –
• Urinary bladder –
• Urinary system –
• Urology –
• Uterus –

V

• Vaccine –
• Vagina –
• Vas deferens –
• Vastus intermedius muscle –
• Vastus lateralis muscle –
• Vastus medialis –
• Vein –
• Vena cava, inferior –
• Vena cava, superior –
• Ventricle –
• Ventricle system –
• Venule –
• Vertebral column –
• Virology –
• Visual acuity –
• Visual cortex –
• Visual field test –
• Visual perception –
• Vital signs –
• Vitamin D –
• Vitrectomy –
• Vitreous body –
• Vulva –

W

• Waist –
• Wart –
• Weber test –
• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome –
• Wernicke's area –
• Whiplash –
• White blood cell –
• White matter –
• Working memory –
• Wrist –

X

• Xanthoma –

Y

• Yaws –
• Yellow fever –

Z

• Zellweger spectrum disorders –
• Zika virus –
• Zoonosis –
• Zygomatic bone –

See also

• Medicine
• Outline of medicine
• List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes
• List of bones of the human skeleton
• List of nerves of the human body
• List of skeletal muscles of the human body
• Anatomical terms of location
• List of diseases
• History of medicine
• Medical College Admission Test –

References