| physical examination | Systematic and thorough inspection of the patient for physical signs of disease or abnormality. (12 Dec 1998) |
|---|---|
| physical fitness | A state of well-being in which performance is optimal, often as a result of physical conditioning which may be prescribed for disease therapy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| physical half-life | The time required for half the atoms of a radionuclide to undergo disintegration. (05 Mar 2000) |
| physical map | <molecular biology> A map of the locations of identifiable landmarks on DNA (for example, restriction enzyme cutting site, genes), regardless of inheritance. Distance is measured in base pairs. For the human genome, the lowest-resolution physical map is the banding patterns on the 24 different chromosomes, the highest-resolution map wouldbe the complete nucleotide sequence of the chromosomes. (09 Oct 1997) |
| physical medicine | A medical specialty concerned with the use of physical agents, mechanical apparatus, and manipulation in rehabilitating physically diseased or injured patients. (12 Dec 1998) |
| physical modalities | Therapeutic interventions that use physical methods, such as heat, cold, massage or exercise, to relieve pain. (16 Dec 1997) |
| physical sciences | The natural sciences dealing with inanimate matter or with energy, as physics, chemistry, astronomy. (12 Dec 1998) |
| physical sign | <clinical sign> A sign that is observed or elicited by auscultation, percussion, or palpation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| physical therapist | A physical therapist is a specialist trained using exercise and physical activities to condition muscles and improve level of activity. Physical therapy is helpful in those with physical debilitating illness (for example stroke). (27 Sep 1997) |
| diagnosis, physical | A diagnosis which is made by means of the physical examination of the patient. (27 Sep 1997) |
| acupuncture therapy | Treatment of disease by inserting needles along specific pathways or meridians. The placement varies with the disease being treated. Heat or moxibustion and acupressure may be used in conjunction. (12 Dec 1998) |
| adjuvant therapy | <oncology, pharmacology> Treatment that is added to increase the effectiveness of a primary treatment. In cancer, adjuvant treatment usually refers to chemotherapy, hormonal therapy or radiation therapy after surgery to increase the likelihood of killing all cancer cells. (14 May 1997) |
| alternative therapy | A term given to nonconventional therapy usually given by persons who do not have a medical qualification. (16 Dec 1997) |
| analytic therapy | Short term for psychoanalytic therapy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Antibody Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy | <pharmacology> A method for targeting a drug to a specific tissue, in which the targeting agent and the drug are administered separately. The drug is designed to be inactive (a prodrug) until it is converted by an enzyme, which is the targeting agent. The enzyme is coupled to an antibody that directs it to the tissue of interest. When the enzyme arrives at the tissue, the prodrug is activated only at that site, sparing other tissues from potentially toxic side effects. Acronym: ADEPT (14 Nov 1997) |