Medical Dictionary

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diaphragmatic (di′a-frag-mat′ik)
Relating to a diaphragm. SYN: phrenic (1) .

diaphragmatocele (di′a-frag-mat′o-sel)
Rarely used term for diaphragmatic hernia. [diaphragm + G. kele, hernia]

diaphragmodynia (di′a-frag-mo-din′e-a)
SYN: diaphragmalgia. [diaphragm + G. odyne, pain]

diaphyseal (di-a-fiz′e-al)
SYN: diaphysial.

diaphysectomy (di′a-fi-sek′to-me)
Partial or complete removal of the shaft of a long bone. [diaphysis + G. ektome, excision]

diaphysial (di-a-fiz′e-al)
Relating to a diaphysis. SYN: diaphyseal.

diaphysis, pl .diaphyses (di-af′i-sis, -sez) [TA]
An elongated rodlike structure, as the part of a long bone between the epiphysial extremities. The shaft of a long bone, as distinguished from the epiphyses, or extremities, and apophyses, or outgrowths. SYN: shaft [TA] . [G. a growing between]

diaphysitis (di-af-i-si′tis)
Inflammation of the shaft of a long bone.

diapiresis (di′a-pi-re′sis)
Passage of colloidal or other small particles of suspended matter through the unruptured walls of the blood vessels. SEE ALSO: diapedesis. [G. diapeiro, to drive through, fr. peiro, to pierce]

diaplacental (di′a-pla-sen′tal)
Passing through or “across” the placenta.

diaplexus (di-a-plek′sus)
Rarely used term for choroid plexus of third ventricle. [G. dia, through, + L. plexus, a plaiting]

diapnoic, diapnotic (di-ap-no′ik, -not′ik)
1. Relating to, or causing perspiration, especially insensible perspiration. 2. A mild sudorific.

diapophysis
SYN: superior articular process.

Diaptomus (di-ap′to-mus)
A genus of copepod crustacea, the principal intermediate host for Diphyllobothrium latum in North America.

diarrhea (di-a-re′a)
An abnormally frequent discharge of semisolid or fluid fecal matter from the bowel. [G. diarrhoia, fr. dia, through, + rhoia, a flow, a flux] cachectic d. d. occurring in patients with severe wasting. Usually due to underlying gastrointestinal disease. choleraic d. SYN: summer d.. chronic bacillary d. prolonged d. occurring in association with bacterial infection, usually occurring in patients with gastrointestinal stasis, allowing bacterial proliferation in the intestine with secondary malabsorption. Occurs in blind-loop syndrome after intestinal surgery, following vagotomy, and occasionally in scleroderma or diabetes. Cochin China d. obsolete term for tropical sprue. colliquative d. d. associated with excessive discharge of fluid. dientamoeba d. d. thought to be due to infection with the flagellate, Dientamoeba fragilis. dysenteric d. d. in bacillary or amebic dysentery. fatty d. d. seen in malabsorption syndromes including chronic pancreatic disease, characterized by foul smelling stools with increased fat content that usually float in water. SYN: pimelorrhea. flagellate d. d. due to infection with flagellate Giardia lamblia. gastrogenous d. a d. that may occur in achylia gastrica, or that is caused by excess secretion of gastric and other intestinal juices. lienteric d. d. in which undigested food appears in the stools. morning d. a form in which there are several loose stools in the early morning and during the forenoon, the bowels being quiet during the remainder of the day and night. mucous d. d. with the presence of considerable mucus in the stools. nocturnal d. d. that occurs chiefly at night, usually in association with diabetic autonomic neuropathy. pancreatic d. SYN: d. pancreatica. d. pancreatica (pan-kre-a′ti-ka) d. characterized by severe, watery, secretory d. and hyperkalemia; most patients have hypercalcemia, many have hyperglycemia; results from excessive secretion of VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) by an islet cell tumor of the pancreas. Sometimes called WDHA syndrome. See Verner-Morrison syndrome, WDHA syndrome. SYN: pancreatic cholera, pancreatic d.. pancreatogenous d. d. in which the stools are bulky, pale, foul, greasy, and oily, as a result of malabsorption of fat due to deficient secretion of pancreatic enzymes in chronic pancreatitis. serous d. d. characterized by watery stools. summer d. d. of infants in hot weather, usually an acute gastroenteritis due to the presence of Shigella or Salmonella. SYN: choleraic d.. toddler's d. recurrent loose stools usually seen in otherwise healthy, normally growing children between the ages of 1 and 3 years, and occurring in daytime; often due to excessive fluid intake. traveler's d. d. of sudden onset, often accompanied by abdominal cramps, vomiting, and fever, occurring sporadically in travelers usually during the first week of a trip; most commonly caused by unfamiliar strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. tropical d. SYN: tropical sprue.

diarrheal, diarrheic (di-a-re′al, -re′ik)
Relating to diarrhea. SYN: diarrhetic.

diarrhetic
SYN: diarrheal.

diarthric (di-ar′thrik)
Relating to two joints. SYN: biarticular, diarticular. [G. di-, two, + arthron, joint]

diarthrosis, pl .diarthroses (di-ar-thro′sis, -sez)
synovial joint. [G. articulation]

diarticular (di-ar-tik′u-lar)
SYN: diarthric.

diaschisis (di-as′ki-sis)
A sudden inhibition of function produced by an acute focal disturbance in a portion of the brain at a distance from the original site of injury, but anatomically connected with it through fiber tracts. [G. a splitting]

diascope (di′a-skop)
A flat glass plate through which one can examine superficial skin lesions by means of pressure. [G. dia, through, + skopeo, to view]

diascopy (di-as′ko-pe)
Examination of superficial skin lesions with a diascope. [G. dia, through, + skopeo, to see]

diastalsis (di-a-stal′sis)
The type of peristalsis in which a region of inhibition precedes the wave of contraction, as seen in the intestinal tract. [G. an arrangement]

diastaltic (di-a-stal′tik)
Pertaining to diastalsis.

diastase (di′as-tas)
A mixture, obtained from malt and containing amylolytic enzymes (principally α- and β-amylases), that converts starch into dextrin and maltose; used to make soluble starches, to aid in digestion of starches in certain types of dyspepsia, and to digest glycogen in histologic sections. [Fr., fr. G. diastasis, separation, fr. dia, apart + histemi, to make to stand]

diastasis (di-as′ta-sis)
1. Any simple separation of normally joined parts. SYN: divarication. 2. The mid-portion of diastole when the blood enters the ventricle slowly or ceases to enter prior to atrial systole. D. duration is in inverse proportion to heart rate and is absent at very high heart rates. [G. a separation] d. recti separation of rectus abdominis muscles away from the midline, sometimes seen during or following pregnancy.

diastasuria (di-as-tas-u′re-a)
SYN: amylasuria.

diastatic (di-a-stat′ik)
Relating to a diastasis.

diastema, pl .diastemata (di′a-ste′ma, -ste′ma-ta) [TA]
1. Fissure or abnormal opening in any part, especially if congenital. 2. [NA] Space between two adjacent teeth in the same dental arch. 3. Cleft or space between the maxillary lateral incisor and canine teeth, into which the lower canine is received when the jaws are closed; abnormal in humans but normal in dogs and many other animals. [G. d., an interval]

diastematocrania (di-a-ste′ma-to-kra′ne-a)
Congenital sagittal fissure of the skull. [G. diastema, an interval, + kranion, skull]

diastematomyelia (di-a-ste′ma-to-mi-e′le-a)
Complete or incomplete sagittal division of the spinal cord by an osseous or fibrocartilaginous septum. [G. diastema, interval, + myelon, marrow]

diaster (di′as-ter)
SYN: amphiaster. [G. di-, two, + aster, star]

diastereoisomers (di′a-star-e-o-i′so-merz)
Optically active isomers that are not enantiomorphs (mirror images); e.g., d-glucose and d-galactose.

diastole (di-as′to-le)
Normal postsystolic dilation of the heart cavities, during which they fill with blood; d. of the atria precedes that of the ventricles; d. of either chamber alternates rhythmically with systole or contraction of that chamber. [G. d., dilation] atrial d. period of relaxation and repolarization of the atrial muscle. electrical d. period from end of T wave to beginning of next Q wave. gastric d. a phase of relaxation of stomach peristalsis seen fluoroscopically or with the gastroscope. late d. SYN: presystole. ventricular d. period of relaxation and repolarization of the ventricular muscle.

diastolic (di-a-stol′ik)
Relating to diastole.

diastology (di-as-tol′o-je)
The study or science of cardiac diastole and its components.

diastrophism (di-as′trof-izm)
Distortion that occurs in objects as a result of bending. [G. diastrophe, fr. diastrephein, distortion]

diataxia (di′a-tak′se-a)
Ataxia affecting both sides of the body. cerebral d. the ataxic type of cerebral birth palsy.

diatela (di-a-te′la)
Rarely used term for tela choroidea of third ventricle. [G. dia, through, between, + L. tela, web]

diathermal (di-a-ther′mal)
SYN: diathermic. [G. dia, through, + therme, heat]

diathermancy (di-a-ther′man-se)
The condition of being diathermic.

diathermanous (di-a-ther′man-us)
Permeable by heat rays. SYN: transcalent. [G. dia-thermaino, to heat through, fr. thermos, hot]

diathermic (di-a-ther′mik)
Relating to, characterized by, or affected by diathermy. SYN: diathermal.

diathermocoagulation (di-a-ther′mo-ko-ag-u-la′shun)
SYN: surgical diathermy.

diathermy (di′a-ther-me)
Local elevation of temperature within the tissues, produced by high frequency current, ultrasonic waves, or microwave radiation. SYN: transthermia. [G. dia, through, + therme, heat] medical d. d. of mild degree causing no destruction of tissue. SYN: thermopenetration. short wave d. therapeutic elevation of temperature in the tissues by means of an oscillating electric current of extremely high frequency (10–100 million Hz) and short wavelength of 3–30 meters. surgical d. electrocoagulation with a high frequency electrocautery, resulting in local tissue destruction; usually used to seal blood vessels and arrest bleeding. SYN: diathermocoagulation. ultrashortwave d. shortwave d. in which the wavelength is under 10 meters.

diathesis (di-ath′e-sis)
The constitutional or inborn state disposing to a disease, group of diseases, or metabolic or structural anomaly. [G. arrangement, condition] contractural d. an older term denoting a tendency to have contractures in hysteria. cystic d. a condition in which multiple cysts form in the liver, kidneys, and other organs. gouty d. a state of susceptibility to attacks of gout or development of tophi, usually associated with hyperuricemia or hyperexcretion of urate in urine. spasmophilic d. a condition in which there is an abnormal excitability of the motor nerves, shown by a tendency to tetany, laryngeal spasm, or general convulsions.

diathetic (di-a-thet′ik)
Relating to a diathesis.

diatom (di′a-tom)
An individual of microscopic unicellular algae, the shells of which compose a sedimentary infusorial earth. [G. diatomos, cut in two]

diatomaceous (di′a-to-ma′shus)
Pertaining to diatoms or their fossil remains.

diatomic (di-a-tom′ik)
1. Denoting a compound with a molecule made up of two atoms. 2. Denoting any ion or atomic grouping composed of two atoms only.

diatoric (di′a-tor′ik)
1. The vertical cylindric aperture formed in the base of artificial porcelain teeth and extending into the body of the tooth, serving as a mechanical means of attaching the tooth to the denture base. 2. Denoting teeth that contain a d.. [G. diatoros, pierced]

diatrizoate
Salt of 3,5-diacetamido-2,4,6-triiodobenzoic acid. See sodium d..

diazepam (di-az′e-pam)
A skeletal muscle relaxant, sedative, and antianxiety agent; also used as an anticonvulsant, particularly in the treatment of status epilepticus by the parenteral route.

diazines (di′a-zenz)
A group of synthetic tuberculostatic drugs, such as pyrazine carboxamide and pyridazine-3-carboxamide.

diazinon (di-az′in-on)
A sulfur-containing organophosphate compound used as an insecticide and cholinesterase inhibitor.

diazo-
Prefix denoting a compound containing the R&cbond;N&dbond;N&cbond;X or R&dbond;N2 grouping, where X is not carbon (except for CN). An example is diazomethane, CH2N2. Cf.:azo-. [G. di-, two, + Fr. azote, nitrogen]

diazotize (di-az′o-tiz)
To introduce the diazo group into a chemical compound, usually through the treatment of an amine with nitrous acid.

diazoxide (di-a-zok′sid)
An antihypertensive agent.

dibasic (di-ba′sik)
Having two replaceable hydrogen atoms, denoting an acid with two ionizable hydrogen atoms.

dibenamine (di-ben′a-men)
A nonspecific and irreversible antagonist at alpha-adrenergic receptors. Prevents vasoconstriction produced by epinephrine and norepinephrine and similar agents causing vasoconstriction by an action on alpha adrenergic receptors.

dibenzepin hydrochloride (di-benz′e-pin)
An antidepressant.

dibenzheptropine citrate (di-benz-hep′tro-pen)
SYN: deptropine citrate.

dibenzopyridine (di-ben′zo-pir′i-den)
SYN: acridine.

dibenzothiazine (di-ben′zo-thi′a-zen)
SYN: phenothiazine.

dibenzthione (di-benz-thi′on)
An antifungal antiseptic. SYN: sulbentine.

Dibothriocephalus (di-both′re-o-sef′a-lus)
Former name for Diphyllobothrium. [G. di-, two, + bothrion, dim. of bothros, a pit, + kephale, head] D. latus SYN: Diphyllobothrium latum.

dibromopropamidine isethionate (di-bro′mo-pro-pam′i-den)
An antiseptic.

dibromsalan (di-brom′sa-lan)
A disinfectant.

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