| upper limb | The shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist, and hand. Synonym: membrum superius, superior limb, thoracic limb, upper extremity. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| upper lip | The muscular fold forming the superior border of the mouth. Synonym: labium superius oris. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper lobe of lung | The lobe of the right lung that lies above the oblique and horizontal fissures and includes the apical, posterior and anterior bronchopulmonary segments; in the left lung, the lobe lies above the oblique fissure and contains the apicoposterior, anterior, superior lingular and inferior lingular segments. Synonym: lobus superior pulmonis, upper lobe of lung. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper/lower lobe predominance | <radiology> Upper lobe, usually site of greatest disease due to poorer clearance, bronchogenic carcinoma, pneumoconioses, histiocytosis X, sarcoidosis, ankylosing spondylitis, lower lobe, scleroderma (12 Dec 1998) |
| upper motor neuron | Clinical term indicating those neuron's of the motor cortex that contribute to the formation of the pyramidal or corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts, as distinguished from the lower motor neuron's innervating the skeletal muscles. Although not motor neuron's in the strict sense, these cortical neuron's became colloquially classified as motor neuron's because their stimulation produces movement and their destruction causes severe disorders of movement. See: motor neuron, motor cortex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper motor neuron lesion | Injury to cerebral descending (corticonuclear) fibres above the brainstem or spinal motor nerve nucleus. Synonym: upper motor neuron lesion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper nodal extrasystole | An obsolete term for a nodal extrasystole supposed to arise from the upper part of the A-V node; recognised in the electrocardiogram by a retrograde P wave preceding the QRS complex by an abnormally short P-R interval. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper respiratory infection | Any number of viral or bacterial infections that includes infections of the throat, nasopharynx, sinuses, larynx, trachea or bronchi. (27 Sep 1997) |
| upper respiratory tract | The nasopharynx, oral cavity, and throat. (09 Oct 1997) |
| upper subscapular nerve | Two branches of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus, an upper and lower, supplying the subscapularis muscle; the lower subscapular nerve also supplies the teres major muscle. Synonym: nervi subscapulares. (05 Mar 2000) |
| upper uterine segment | The main portion of the body of the gravid uterus, the contraction of which furnishes the chief force of expulsion in labour. (05 Mar 2000) |
| abortion, multiple | Couples who have had 2 or more miscarriages (spontaneous abortions) have about a 5% chance that one member of the couple is carrying a chromsome translocation responsible for the miscarriages. (12 Dec 1998) |
| advanced multiple-beam equalization radiography | A variant of scanning equalization radiography using several X-ray beams. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amyloidosis of multiple myeloma | Foci of amyloidosis in mesenchymal tissues of some persons with multiple myeloma; no direct relation between amyloid and Bence Jones protein is conclusively known. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cancer, multiple myeloma | A bone marrow cancer involving a type of white blood cell called a plasma (or myeloma) cell. The tumour cells can form a single collection (a plasmacytoma) or many tumours (multiple myeloma). Plasma cells are part of the immune system and make antibodies. Because patients have an excess of identical plasma cells, they have too much of one type of antibody. As myeloma cells increase in number, they damage and weaken the bones, causing pain and often fractures. When bones are damaged, calcium is released into the blood leading to hypercalcaemia (excess calcium in the blood) and that causes loss of appetite, nausea, thirst, fatigue, muscle weakness, restlessness, and confusion. Myeloma cells prevent the bone marrow from forming normal plasma cells and other white blood cells important to the immune system so patients may not be able to fight infections. The cancer cells can also prevent the growth of new red blood cells, causing anaemia. Excess antibody proteins and calcium may prevent the kidneys from filtering and cleaning the blood properly Cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: A lymphoma is a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. The most common symptom of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas is a painless swelling in the lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are diagnosed with a biopsy of an enlarged lymph node. Follow-up examinations are important after lymphoma treatment. Most relapses occur in the first 2 years after therapy. (12 Dec 1998) |