| fine needle aspiration | Procedure to remove cells or fluid from tissues using a needle with an empty syringe. Cells or breast fluid is extracted by pulling back on plunger and then is analysed by a physician. (09 Oct 1997) |
|---|---|
| fine needle biopsy | Removal of tissue or suspensions of cells through a small needle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| genetic fine structure | The study of genes on the level of their nucleotide sequences and what happens to their molecular structure at that level. (09 Oct 1997) |
| fine | 1. Finished; brought to perfection; refined; hence, free from impurity; excellent; superior; elegant; worthy of admiration; accomplished; beautiful. "The gain thereof [is better] than fine gold." (Prov. Iii. 14) "A cup of wine that's brisk and fine." (Shak) "Not only the finest gentleman of his time, but one of the finest scholars." (Felton) "To soothe the sick bed of so fine a being [Keats]" (Leigh Hunt) 2. Aiming at show or effect; loaded with ornament; overdressed or overdecorated; showy. "He gratified them with occasional . . . Fine writing." (M. Arnold) 3. Nice; delicate; subtle; exquisite; artful; skillful; dexterous. "The spider's touch, how exquisitely fine!" (Pope) "The nicest and most delicate touches of satire consist in fine raillery." (Dryden) "He has as fine a hand at picking a pocket as a woman." (T. Gray) 4. Not coarse, gross, or heavy; as: Not gross; subtile; thin; tenous. "The eye standeth in the finer medium and the object in the grosser." (Bacon) Not coarse; comminuted; in small particles; as, fine sand or flour. Not thick or heavy; slender; filmy; as, a fine thread. Thin; attenuate; keen; as, a fine edge. Made of fine materials; light; delicate; as, fine linen or silk. 5. Having (such) a proportion of pure metal in its composition; as, coins nine tenths fine. 6. (Used ironically) "Ye have made a fine hand, fellows." (Shak) Fine is often compounded with participles and adjectives, modifying them adverbially; a, fine-drawn, fine-featured, fine-grained, fine-spoken, fine-spun, etc. Fine arch, to sail as close to the wind as possible. Synonym: Fine, Beautiful. When used as a word of praise, fine (being opposed to coarse) denotes no "ordinary thing of its kind." It is not as strong as beautiful, in reference to the single attribute implied in the latter term; but when we speak of a fine woman, we include a greater variety of particulars, viz, all the qualities which become a woman, breeding, sentiment, tact, etc. The term is equally comprehensive when we speak of a fine garden, landscape, horse, poem, etc.; and, though applied to a great variety of objects, the word has still a very definite sense, denoting a high degree of characteristic excellence. Origin: F. Fin, LL. Finus fine, pure, fr. L. Finire to finish; cf. Finitus, p.p, finished, completed (hence the sense accomplished, perfect) See Finish, and cf. Finite. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| fine structure | <pathology> General term to describe the level of organisation that is below the level of resolution of the light microscope. In practice, a shorthand term for structure observed using the electron microscope, although other techniques could give information about structure in the sub micrometre range. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fine structure mapping | A technique of DNA mapping which makes use of extremely rare recombination events where the crossing over occurs between two genes or two alleles of a gene that are only a few nucleotides apart. (09 Oct 1997) |
| fine tremor | A tremor in which the amplitude is small and the frequency is usually greater than 12 Hz. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous | <technique> Performed through the skin, as injection of radiopacque material in radiological examination or the removal of tissue for biopsy accomplished by a needle. Origin: L. Cutis = skin (18 Nov 1997) |
| percutaneous absorption | The absorption of drugs, allergens, and other substances through unbroken skin. Synonym: cutaneous absorption. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous cholangiography | Radiography of the biliary system after introduction of contrast medium by introducing a needle through the skin inferior to the right costal margin, and inserting it into the substance of the liver or into the gallbladder. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous nephrostomy | Drainage of the collecting system through a catheter inserted through the skin of the flank under fluoroscopic control, usually using the Seldinger technique. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous stimulation | Electrical stimulation of the peripheral nerves or spinal cord by the application of electrodes to the skin. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography | Contrast radiographic examination of biliary system performed by injection through a percutaneously placed needle inserted into an intrahepatic bile duct. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous transluminal angioplasty | An operation for enlarging a narrowed vascular lumen by inflating and withdrawing through the stenotic region a balloon on the tip of an angiographic catheter; may include positioning of an intravascular stent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty | Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of coronary artery or arteries. (05 Mar 2000) |