Islets of Langerhans. These are groups of specialized cells in the pancreas that make and secret hormones. Known as the insulin-producing tissue. They are named after the German pathologist, Paul Langerhans, who discovered them in 1869.
Archive for the ‘Terminology’ Category
Medical Transcription New Phrase
Sunday, September 5th, 2010Medical Transcription New Word
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010Schmorl’s nodes are protrusions of the cartilage of the intervertebral disk through the vertebral body endplate and into the adjacent vertebra.
Medical Transcription Word of the Week
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010Peyronie’s disease: A tissue disorder that involves the growth of fibrous plaques in the soft tissue of the penis. This causes an abnormal curvature of the penis. It is most commonly seen in Caucasian males 40 years of age and over.
This disease also goes by the names of fibrous cavernositis or plastic unduration of the penis.
Medical Transcription Definition
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010Graves disease: An autoimmune disease. The thyroid is overactive and produces an excessive amount of thyroid hormones.
It is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in children and adolescents. It can be hereditary.
There is no treatment for Graves disease.
Medical Transcription Word of the Week
Wednesday, July 28th, 2010Electrodesiccation: An electric current is used to destroy cancerous lesions/tissues and also to seal off blood vessels.
This procedure is used to minimize spider veins and to remove basal cell carcinomas.
Medical Transcription Terms
Tuesday, July 13th, 2010Schatzki Ring. This is a narrowing of the lower part of the esophagus. It can cause difficulty swallowing. This narrowing condition is caused by a ring of mucosal tissue or muscular tissue.
This is named after the German-American physician, Richard Schatzke.
Transcription Word of the Week
Thursday, July 8th, 2010Sjögren syndrome. Pronounced shor’gren. This has been a stumper for both newbie and seasoned medical transcriptionists to verify spelling on.
This is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the exocrine glands that produce saliva and tears.
It was named after Henrik Sjögren (1899-1986), a Swedish opthalmologist who first described it.
It is estimated to touch as many as 4 million people in the United States, which makes it the second most common autoimmune rheumatic disease.
Medical Transcription Terms
Thursday, July 1st, 2010Disc or disk?
Disc refers to the eye. The optic disc is where ganglion cell axons exit the eye to form the optic nerve.
Disk pertains to the back. Intervertebral disks lie in the spine adjacent to the vertebrae. Each disk forms a joint to allow for slight movement of the vertebrae.
Transcription Definition
Monday, June 28th, 2010Isn’t Latin, the core of the English language, supposed to make it easier to understand words? Maybe not.
Scler or sclero. This prefix means either hardness or the sclera of the eye. Two totally different meanings. Yet another item in the long list of medical words that make you wonder who really is responsible for our confusion!
Medical Transcription Word of the Week
Friday, June 25th, 2010Pfannenstiel incision, yet another exasperating word for the medical transcriptionist. Why? Because the “p” is silent.
This is a type of incision that allows access to the abdomen. This incision is a slightly curved cut right above the pubic symphysis. The usual reasons for this incision are hernia repair and obstetric delivery. Named after the surname of a German gynecologist, Hermann Johannes Pfannenstiel.