Category: Sm-St

Abnormal enlargement of the spleen. Splenomegaly is a sign of an underlying condition, such as severe liver disease, leukemia, or mononucleosis. Patients with splenomegaly should avoid activities that risk trauma to the abdomen, including contact sports, because of risk of bleeding from the injured spleen.

An organ that is located in the upper-left part of the abdomen, not far from the stomach, that produces lymphocytes, which are important elements in the immune system. The spleen is the largest lymphatic organ in the body. The spleen also filters blood, serves as a major reservoir for blood, and destroys blood cells that are aged (or abnormal, as…

1.As a noun: Popular term for sputum.2.As a verb: To eject sputum; to expectorate.

A test of the air capacity of the lung. The test utilizes a machine called a spirometer to measure the volume of air inspired and expired by the lungs.

1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects the spinal cord. The spine can be categorized according to level of the body: i.e., cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back). See also vertebral column. 2) Any short prominence of bone. The spines of the vertebrae protrude at the base of the back…

Also known as a lumbar puncture or “LP”, a spinal tap is a procedure whereby spinal fluid is removed from the spinal canal for the purpose of diagnostic testing. It is particularly helpful in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, especially infections, such as meningitis. It can also provide clues to the diagnosis of stroke, spinal cord tumor and cancer…

The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies within the vertebral canal and from which the spinal nerves emerge. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves originate in the spinal cord: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. The spinal cord and the brain constitute the central nervous system. The spinal cord consists of nerve…

An instrument for measuring blood pressure, particularly in arteries. The two types of sphygmomanometers are a mercury column and a gauge with a dial face. The sphygmomanometer in most frequent use today consists of a gauge attached to a rubber cuff which is wrapped around the upper arm and is inflated to constrict the arteries. A blood…

The process of sperm formation. The term was created from the prefix “spermato-” (Greek sperma, the seed or germ) + “genesis” (the coming into being of something) = the coming into being of sperm. Spermatogenesis is in contrast to oogenesis, the process of egg (ovum) formation.

A sperm is the male “gamete” or sex cell. It combines with the female “gamete,” called an ovum, to form a zygote. The formation process is called “fertilization.” (see ovum, zygote).