| giant cell granuloma | <dermatology, oncology> A non-neoplastic lesion characterised by a proliferation of granulation tissue containing numerous multinucleated giant cells. It occurs on the gingiva and alveolar mucosa (occasionally on other soft tissues) where it presents as a soft red-blue haemorrhagic nodular swelling. It also occurs within the mandible or maxilla as a unilocular or multilocular radiolucency. Peripheral giant cell granuloma refers to the gingiva (giant cell epulis), central refers to the jaw. Microscopically similar lesions occur in the tubular bones of the hands and feet, are considered neoplastic, and may have a malignant course. Identical bony lesions may be seen in hyperparathyroidism and cherubism. See: giant cell tumour of bone. Synonym: giant cell epulis. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| giant cell hepatitis | Hepatitis in the neonatal period presumed to be due to a variety of causes, chiefly viral; characterised by direct and indirect bilirubinaemia, hepatocellular degeneration, and appearance of multinucleated giant cells; may be difficult to distinguish from biliary atresia, but is more likely to end with recovery, although cirrhosis may develop. Synonym: giant cell hepatitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell hyaline angiopathy | <pathology> An inflammatory infiltrate containing foreign body giant cells and eosinophilic material. Fragments of foreign material resembling vegetable matter may be included. Synonym: pulse granuloma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell monstrocellular sarcoma of Zulch | A histologic form of glioblastoma with large, often multinucleated, bizarre, tumour cells. Synonym: giant cell monstrocellular sarcoma of Zulch. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell myeloma | A bone tumour composed of cellular spindle-cell stroma containing scattered multinucleated giant cells resembling osteoclasts. The tumours range from benign to frankly malignant lesions. The tumour occurs most frequently in an end of a long tubular bone in young adults. (12 Dec 1998) |
| giant cell pneumonia | A rare complication of measles, with the postmortem finding of multinucleated giant cells lining alveoli. Synonym: Hecht's pneumonia, interstitial giant cell pneumonia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell sarcoma | <tumour> A malignant giant cell tumour of bone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell thyroiditis | Thyroiditis with round cell (usually lymphocytes) infiltration, destruction of thyroid cells, epithelial giant cell proliferation, and evidence of regeneration; thought by some to be a reflection of a systemic infection and not an example of true chronic thyroiditis. Synonym: de Quervain's thyroiditis, giant cell thyroiditis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell tumour | <radiology> Osteoclastoma, GCT, any age, typically 20-35, site: metaphysis into epiphysis, 50% at knee (distal femur, proximal tibia), long bones, patella, spine, eccentric, expansile, with or without soap bubble appearance, treatment: curette, fill with methacrylate, 10% recur, a few are premalignant or malignant, cannot determine malignancy by XR (12 Dec 1998) |
| giant cell tumour of bone | A bone tumour composed of cellular spindle-cell stroma containing scattered multinucleated giant cells resembling osteoclasts. The tumours range from benign to frankly malignant lesions. The tumour occurs most frequently in an end of a long tubular bone in young adults. (12 Dec 1998) |
| giant cell tumour of tendon sheath | A nodule, possibly inflammatory in nature, arising commonly from the flexor sheath of the fingers and thumb; composed of fibrous tissue, lipid-and haemosiderin-containing macrophages, and multinucleated giant cells. Synonym: localised nodular tenosynovitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell tumours | Tumours of bone tissue or synovial or other soft tissue characterised by the presence of giant cells. The most common are giant cell tumour of tendon sheath and giant cell tumour of bone. (12 Dec 1998) |
| red blood cell | <haematology> Cell specialised for oxygen transport, having a high concentration of haemoglobin in the cytoplasm (and little else). Biconcave, anucleate discs, 7nm diameter in mammals, nucleus contracted and chromatin condensed in other vertebrates. Acronym: RBC (18 Nov 1997) |
| red blood cell cast | A urinary cast composed of a matrix containing red cells in various stages of degeneration and visibility, characteristic of glomerular disease or renal parenchymal bleeding. Synonym: red cell cast. (05 Mar 2000) |
| red blood cell count | A normal value is 4.6-6.2 million RBC's per cubic millimetre of blood. This number can increase in cases of dehydration (fluid loss) or severe lung disease. Interestingly, red blood cell counts are much higher in those who live at high altitude, because of the increased demand for oxygen carrying capacity. (27 Sep 1997) |