| cervical disc syndrome | <syndrome> Pain, paresthesias, and sometimes weakness in the area of the distribution of one or more cervical roots, due to pressure of a protruded cervical intervertebral disc. Synonym: cervical compression syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| micro-disc surgery | This describes a newer form of orthopaedic back surgery involving the insertion of a special hardware device through a small incision in the lower back. This form of surgery is indicated for those with intractable (unresponsive to medical therapy alone) disk disease of the lower spine (typically lumbar). The prolapsed disk is suction out of the back via a small tube inserted through the incision. (27 Sep 1997) |
| sacrococcygeal disc | A thin plate of fibrocartilage interposed between the sacrum and coccyx. (05 Mar 2000) |
| slipped disc | <orthopaedics> A condition that results in the abnormal protrusion (bulging), herniation or prolapse of a vertebral disc from its normal position in the vertebral column. The displaced disc may exert force on a nearby nerve root causing the typical neurologic symptoms of radiating pain (to an extremity), numbness, tingling and weakness. Recurrent episodes of severe back pain are common. Treatment includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids and rest. More advanced cases may require surgical intervention (for example laminectomy, micro-disc surgery). (19 Jan 1998) |
| degenerative disc disease | <radiology> Plain film: narrowing of disc space; osteophytes; bone sclerosis, disc calcification, vacuum disc phenomenon (nitrogen at sites of negative pressure) MRI: endplate changes (Modic and deRoos), Type I (4%): decreased signal on T1; increased signal on T2; vascularised fibrous tissue, Type II (16%): increased T1; isointense T2; local fatty replacement of marrow, Type III: decreased T1; decreased T2; advanced sclerosis sequelae: disc bulging, disc herniation, disc sequestration, spinal stenosis (12 Dec 1998) |
| disc | <plant biology> A plate or rim of tissue, derived from the receptacle of a flower, occurring between whorls of floral parts. (09 Oct 1997) |
| disc electrophoresis | Short for discontinuous electrophoresis, it is a type of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This electrophoresis method uses gels of two different concentrations of polyacrylamide (a synthetic polymer), the one of lower concentration stacked on top of the one with higher concentration, in order to better resolve bands of whatever is being separated (DNA, RNA, or protein) that would otherwise be very close together. (09 Oct 1997) |
| disc flower | The radially symmetrical flowers in the family Compositae, as distinguished from the ligulate ray flowers. (09 Oct 1997) |
| disc gel | Confusingly, nothing to do with shape, gels in which there is a discontinuity in pH or gel concentration or buffer composition. (18 Nov 1997) |
| disc sequestration | <radiology> Complete separation of disc material with rupture through posterior longitudinal ligament into the epidural space; free fragment herniation findings: migration superiorly/inferiorly with compression of nerve roots above/below the level of herniation, disc material noted more than 9mm from disc space Differential diagnosis: postoperative scarring (retraction of thecal sac to the site of surgery), epidural abscess/tumour, conjoined nerve root: 2 nerve roots arising simultaneously from the thecal sac; normal variant in 1-3% see: degenerative disc disease (12 Dec 1998) |
| imaginal disc | Epithelial infoldings in the larvae of holometabolous insects (e.g. Lepidoptera, Diptera) that rapidly develop into adult appendages (legs, antennae, wings etc.) during metamorphosis from larval to adult form. By implanting discs into the haemocoele of an adult insect their differentiation can be blocked, though their determination remains unchanged except occasionally (transdetermination). The hierarchy of transdetermination has been studied in great detail in Drosophila. (11 Mar 1998) |
| intercalated disc | An electron dense junctional complex, at the end to end contacts of cardiac muscle cells, that contains gap junctions and desmosomes. most of the disc is formed of a convoluted fascia adherens type of junction into which the actin filaments of the terminal sarcomeres insert (they are therefore equivalent to half Z bands), desmosomes are also present. The lateral portion of the stepped disc contains gap junctions that couple the cells electrically and thus coordinate the contraction. (18 Nov 1997) |
| interpubic disc | The disk of fibrocartilage that unites the pubic bones at the pubic symphysis. Synonym: discus interpubicus, interpubic disk, lamina fibrocartilaginea interpubica. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intervertebral disc | <anatomy> The intervertebral discs or nucleus pulposus are a fibro-cartilaginous disc that lie between the vertebral bodies in the spine. These disks are composed of a central gelatinous-like material that provide a cushioning or shock absorbing quality to the spinal column to axial stress. Discs may herniate or rupture, resulting in a condition known as a radiculopathy. (27 Sep 1997) |
| tilting disc valve | A variety of prosthetic cardiac valve composed of one or two discs within a retaining device. (05 Mar 2000) |