Medterms M

Front 1

Magnetic resonance imaging

Back 1

Image of the body with magnetic and radio waves. Organs are seen in three planes: coronal (front to back), sagittal (side to side), and transverse (cross-section). Also called MRI.

Front 2

Male reproductive system

Back 2

Organs that produce sperm cells and male hormones.

Front 3

Malignant

Back 3

Tending to become progressively worse. The term malignant describes cancerous tumors that invade and spread to distant organs.

Front 4

Mammary

Back 4

Pertaining to the breast.

Front 5

Mammogram

Back 5

X-ray record of the breast.

Front 6

Mammography

Back 6

Process of making an x-ray record of the breast.

Front 7

Mammoplasty

Back 7

Surgical repair (reconstruction) or the breast.

Front 8

Mastectomy

Back 8

Removal (excision) of the breast.

Front 9

Mastitis

Back 9

Inflammation of the breast.

Front 10

Mediastinal

Back 10

Pertaining to the MEDIASTINUM.

Front 11

Mediastinoscopy

Back 11

Visual examination of the mediastinum with an endoscope.

Front 12

Mediastinum

Back 12

Space between the lungs in the chest. The mediastinum contains the heart, large blood vessels, trachea, esophagus, thymus gland, and lymph nodes.

Front 13

Medulla oblongata

Back 13

Lower part of the brain near the spinal cord. The medulla oblongata controls breathing and heartbeat.

Front 14

Medullary

Back 14

Pertaining to the inner, or soft, part of an organ.

Front 15

Melanoma

Back 15

Malignant tumor arising from pigmented cells (melanocytes) in the skin. A melanoma usually develops from a NEVUS (mole).

Front 16

Meninges

Back 16

Membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Front 17

Meningitis

Back 17

Inflammation of the meninges (membranes around the brain and spinal chord).

Front 18

Menorrhea

Back 18

Normal discharge of blood and tissue from the uterine lining during MENSTRUATION.

Front 19

Menses

Back 19

Menstruation; menstrual period.

Front 20

Menstruation

Back 20

Breakdown of the lining of the uterus that occurs every four weeks during active reproductive period of a female.

Front 21

Mesothelioma

Back 21

Malignant tumor or the lining tissue of the pleura. A mesothelioma is associated with exposure to asbestos.

Front 22

Metacarpals

Back 22

Bones of the hand between the wrist bones (carpals) and the finger (phalanges).

Front 23

Metastasis

Back 23

Spread of a cancerous tumor to a distant organ or location. Metastasis literally means change (META-) of place (-STASIS). Metastatic means pertaining to metastasis.

Front 24

Metatarsals

Back 24

Foot bones.

Front 25

Migraine

Back 25

Attack of headache, usually on one side of the head, caused by changes in blood vessel size and accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light (photophobia). Migraine is a term from the French word migraine, meaning “severe head pain.”

Front 26

Minimally invasive surgery

Back 26

Removal and repair of organs and tissues with small incisions for an endoscope and instruments. Examples are laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), laparoscopic appendectomy (appendix removal), laparoscopic herniorrhaphy (repair of hernia), and laparoscopic colectomy (removal of a portion of the colon).

Front 27

Mitral valve prolapse

Back 27

Protrusion of one or both cusps of the mitral valve back into the left atrium when the ventricles contract.

Front 28

Monocyte

Back 28

White blood cell with one large nucleus.

Front 29

Mouth

Back 29

The opening that forms the beginning of the digestive system.

Front 30

MRI

Back 30

See MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Front 31

Mucus

Back 31

Sticky secretion from mucous membranes and glands.

Front 32

Multiple myeloma

Back 32

Malignant tumor of the bone marrow.

Front 33

Multiple sclerosis

Back 33

Chronic neurologic disease in which there are patches of demyelination (loss of myelin sheath covering on nerve cells) throughout the brain and spinal cord. Weakness, abnormal sensations, incoordination, and speech and visual disturbances are symptoms.

Front 34

Muscle

Back 34

Connective tissue that contracts to make movement possible.

Front 35

Muscular

Back 35

Pertaining to muscles.

Front 36

Muscular dystrophy

Back 36

Group of degenerative muscle diseases that cause crippling because muscles are gradually weakened and eventually ATROPHY (shrink).

Front 37

Musculoskeletal system

Back 37

Organs that support the body and allow it to move, including the muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues.

Front 38

Myalgia

Back 38

Pain in a muscle.

Front 39

Myelin sheath

Back 39

Fatty covering around part (axon) of nerve cells. The myelin sheath insulates the nerve, helping to speed conduction of nerve impulses.

Front 40

Myelodysplasia

Back 40

Abnormal development of bone marrow, a premalignant condition leading to leukemia.

Front 41

Myelogram

Back 41

X-ray image of the spinal cord after contrast is injected within the membranes surrounding the spinal cord in the lumbar area of the back.

Front 42

Myelography

Back 42

X-ray imaging of the spinal cord after injection of contrast material.

Front 43

Myeloma

Back 43

Malignant tumor originating in the bone marrow (MYEL/O). Also called MULTIPLE MYELOMA.

Front 44

Myocardial

Back 44

Pertaining to the muscle of the heart.

Front 45

Myocardial infarction

Back 45

Are of dead tissue in heart muscle; also known as a heart attack or MI.

Front 46

Myocardial ischemia

Back 46

Decrease in the blood supply to the heart muscle.

Front 47

Myoma

Back 47

Tumor (benign) of muscle.

Front 48

Myomectomy

Back 48

Removal of a benign muscle tumor (fibroid).

Front 49

Myosarcoma

Back 49

Tumor (malignant) of muscle. SARC- means flesh, indicating that the tumor is of connective or “fleshy” tissue origin.

Front 50

Myositis

Back 50

Inflammation of a muscle.

Front 51

Myringotomy

Back 51

Incision of the eardrum.