| Uhthoff's sign | A transient temperature-dependent numbness, weakness, or loss of vision. Conduction stops in any nerve if the temperature gets too high. In a damaged nerve, e.g., by demyelinization, this shutdown temperature is lowered, and may approach normal body temperature. Transient neurological dysfunction may then appear with a hot shower, exercise, or fever. Synonym: Uhthoff syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| Keen's sign | <clinical sign> Increased width at the malleoli in Pott's fracture. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Kehr's sign | <clinical sign> Violent pain in the left shoulder in a case of rupture of the spleen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fan sign | <clinical sign> The spreading apart of the toes in the complete Babinski's sign. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Kernig's sign | <clinical sign> A physical examination finding that can indicate inflammation of the meninges (meningitis), with the subject lying flat on the back, the thigh is flexed (at right angle to the trunk), at this point complete extension at the knee joint is impossible, due to pain. (13 Nov 1997) |
| Kestenbaum's sign | <clinical sign> A decrease in the number of arterioles crossing optic disk margins as a sign of optic neuritis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| knuckle sign | <radiology> Seen in pulmonary embolism, abrupt tapering of an occluded vessel distally (12 Dec 1998) |
| Kocher's sign | <clinical sign> In Graves' disease, on upward gaze, the globe lags behind the movement of the upper eyelid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Kreysig's sign | <clinical sign> In adherent pericardium, an indrawing of the intercostal spaces, synchronous with the cardiac systole. Synonym: Kreysig's sign. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Kussmaul's sign | <clinical sign> In constrictive pericarditis, a paradoxical increase in venous distention and pressure during inspiration; seen occasionally in effusive-constrictive pericarditis when tamponading pericardial fluid overlies a constricting epicarditis. Synonym: Kussmaul's symptom. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Fischer's sign | <clinical sign> An obsolete sign: in tuberculosis of the mediastinal or peri-bronchial glands, after bending the patient's head as far back as possible, auscultation over the manubrium sterni will sometimes reveal a continuous loud murmur caused by the pressure of the enlarged glands on the large mediastinal vessels. Synonym: Fischer's symptom. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fissure sign | In perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs, decreased uptake of radionuclide in the periphery of each lobe, making the fissures visible; caused by a variety of diseases and artifacts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| flag sign | <clinical sign> Bands of discoloration of hair (reddish, blonde, or gray, depending on original colour) resulting from fluctuations in nutrition characteristic of kwashiorkor and in diseases of protein depletion such as ulcerative colitis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fleischner sign | <radiology> Wide gap between thickened patulous ileocaecal valve and narrowed ulcerated terminal ileum, inverted umbrella defect, associated with tuberculous involvement of the ileocaecum (12 Dec 1998) |
| Lancisi's sign | <clinical sign> A large systolic jugular venous wave caused by tricuspid regurgitation replacing the normal negative systolic trough ("x" descent). (05 Mar 2000) |