| PCA | para-chloramphetamine; parietal cell antibody; passive cutaneous anaphylaxis; patient care assistant... |
|---|---|
| PCL | pacing cycle length; persistent corpus luteum; plasma cell leukemia; posterior chamber lens; posteri... |
| PD | Doctor of Pharmacy; Dublin Pharmacopoeia; interpupillary distance; Paget disease; pancreatic duct; p... |
| PICA | percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; Porch Index of Communicative Abilities; posterior in... |
| PPA | palpation, percussion, auscultation; pepsin A; phenylpropanolamine; phenylpyruvic acid; Pittsburgh p... |
| focal sclerosis with hyalinosis | <nephrology> A kidney disorder that results in fibrosis and scarring in the kidney glomerulus. The cause is unknown but some cases can result from reflux nephropathy. The clinical manifestation of this kidney disorder is nephrotic syndrome. Symptoms include weight gain, swelling, hypertension and foamy urine. High blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels are also seen with this disorder. Treatment has included the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressives. Antihypertensive agents and diuretics may also be necessary. Over one-half will develop chronic renal failure within 10 years of diagnosis. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| focal segmental glomerulosclerosis | <nephrology> A kidney disorder that results in fibrosis and scarring in the kidney glomerulus. The cause is unknown but some cases can result from reflux nephropathy. The clinical manifestation of this kidney disorder is nephrotic syndrome. Symptoms include weight gain, swelling, hypertension and foamy urine. High blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels are also seen with this disorder. Treatment has included the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressives. Antihypertensive agents and diuretics may also be necessary. Over one-half will develop chronic renal failure within 10 years of diagnosis. (27 Sep 1997) |
| focal seizure | <neurology> A brief temporary alteration in movement, sensation or autonomic nerve function caused by abnormal electrical activity in a localised area of the brain. Focal seizures (i.e. Partial or Jacksonian seizures) usually cause no change in awareness or alertness. An example of a focal (partial) seizure would be rhythmic muscle contractions in one area of the body: lip smacking, mouth movements, drooling, head turning, eye movements or seemingly purposeful movements (for example picking at clothes). Other presentations may be strictly sensory with abnormal numbness, tingling or a crawling sensation to the skin. More unusual symptoms include changes in speech, thought, personality, mood, sensation of deja vu or hallucinations. (05 Jan 1998) |
| focal spot | The site of bombardment by electrons and emission of X-rays from the anode of an X-ray tube. See: focal spot size. (05 Mar 2000) |
| focal spot size | The measured size of a focal spot, a function of its actual size and the angulation of the anode surface. See: focal spot. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alveolar point | The most anterior point on the maxillary alveolar process in the midline. Synonym: alveolar point, prostheon. Origin: G. Ntr. Of prosthios, foremost (05 Mar 2000) |
| apophysial point | The centre of the root of the anterior nasal spine. Synonym: apophysary point, apophysial point, spinal point. (05 Mar 2000) |
| arrow point tracing | A tracing of mandibular movements made by means of a device attached to the opposing arches; its shape resembles that of an arrowhead or a Gothic arch, and when the instrument's marking point is at the apex of the arch, the jaws are considered to be in centric relation. Synonym: arrow point tracing, Gothic arch tracing, Gothic arch, stylus tracing. (05 Mar 2000) |
| auricular point | A craniometric point at the centre of the opening of the external acoustic meatus; or, in certain cases, the middle of the upper edge of this opening. Synonym: auricular point. Origin: L. Auricularis, pertaining to the ear (05 Mar 2000) |
| axial point | One of two point's in a compound optical system so related that a ray directed toward the first point will appear to have passed through the second point parallel to its original direction. Synonym: axial point. (05 Mar 2000) |
| boiling point | This is the temperature at which the vapor pressure of a given liquid reaches atmospheric pressure (and thus starts to boil). (09 Oct 1997) |
| boiling point elevation | This is the phenomenon of increasing the temperature at which a liquid boils by dissolving another substance in the liquid (for example: you can raise the temperature at which water boils by adding salt to it). (09 Oct 1997) |
| Cannon's point | The location in the mid-transverse colon at which innervation by superior and inferior mesenteric plexuses overlap at the junction of the primitive midgut and hindgut, frequently resulting in narrowing evident on barium enema. See: Cannon's ring. Synonym: Cannon's ring. (05 Mar 2000) |
| painful point | See: Valleix's points. (05 Mar 2000) |
| malar point | Apex of the tuberosity of the zygomatic (malar) bone. (05 Mar 2000) |