| giant cell arteritis | <pathology> An inflammatory condition of the temporal artery. It is a serious chronic vascular disease, characterised by inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels (vasculitis). The age of affected patients is usually over 50 years of age. It most often involves the carotid artery system, and can lead to blindness or stroke. It can be diagnosed by biopsy of an artery, but there is often a false negative result. Elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate is typical. Treatment is with high dose steroids. Common symptoms include headaches and tenderness over the temple (temporal artery). Can be associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. See: polymyalgia rheumatica. Synonym: cranial arteritis, temporal arteritis (20 Jun 2000) |
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| giant cell astrocytoma | <radiology> Malignant transformation from hamartoma (tuber) of tuberous sclerosis, enhances (unlike benign lesions), arises only about foramen of Monro, not really an astrocytoma, it's a giant-cell tumour (12 Dec 1998) |
| giant cell carcinoma | <tumour> A malignant epithelial neoplasm characterised by unusually large anaplastic cells. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell carcinoma of thyroid gland | A rapidly progressive undifferentiated carcinoma observed in the thyroid gland, characterised by numerous, unusually large, anaplastic cells derived from glandular epithelium of the thyroid gland. (05 Mar 2000) |
| giant cell epulis | <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) |
| giant cell fibroma | <tumour> A tumour of the oral mucosa composed of fibrous connective tissue with large stellate and multinucleate fibroblasts; shares a similar histology with the retrocuspid papilla, fibrous papule of the nose, pearly penile papule, and the ungual fibroma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| 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) |
| 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) |