The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Poland Syndrome article.
Abnormal: Not normal. Deviating from the usual structure, position, condition, or behavior. In referring to a growth, abnormal may mean that it is cancerous or premalignant (likely to become cancer).
Anatomy: The study of form. Gross anatomy involves structures that can be seen with the naked eye. It is as opposed to microscopic anatomy (or histology) which involves structures seen under the microscope. Traditionally, both gross and microscopic anatomy have been studied in the first year of medical school in the U.S. The most celebrated textbook of anatomy in the English-speaking world is Gray's Anatomy, still a useful reference book. The word "anatomy" comes from the Greek ana- meaning up or through + tome meaning a cutting. Anatomy was once a "cutting up" because the structure of the body was originally learned through dissecting it, cutting it up. The abbreviation for anatomy is anat.
Anomaly: A deviation from the usual, something different, peculiar, or abnormal. See the entire definition of Anomaly
Areola: 1. The small darkened area around the nipple of the breast. 2. The colored part of the iris around the pupil of the eye. 3. Any small space in a tissue.
Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the farthest reaches of the body. Since blood in arteries is usually full of oxygen, the hemoglobin in the red blood cells is oxygenated. The resultant form of hemoglobin (oxyhemoglobin) is what makes arterial blood look bright red. See the entire definition of Artery
Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A more flexible kind of cartilage connects muscles with bones and makes up other parts of the body, such as the larynx and the outside parts of the ears.
Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains the lungs, the heart and part of the aorta. The walls of the chest are supported by the dorsal vertebrae, the ribs, and the sternum. See the entire definition of Chest
Computerized tomography: Pictures of structures within the body created by a computer that takes the data from multiple X-ray images and turns them in pictures. See the entire definition of Computerized tomography
Congenital: Present at birth. A condition that is congenital is one that is present at birth. There are numerous uses of "congenital" in medicine. There are, for example, congenital abnormalities. (For more examples, see below.) See the entire definition of Congenital
Congenital malformation: A physical defect present in a baby at birth, irrespective of whether the defect is caused by a genetic factor or by prenatal events that are not genetic. In a malformation, the development of a structure is arrested, delayed, or misdirected early in embryonic life and the effect is permanent. See the entire definition of Congenital malformation
Cutaneous syndactyly: A condition in which fingers or toes are joined together, and the joining involves only the skin, not the bones. Cutaneous syndactyly is the opposite of bony syndactyly, in which the bones are of the digits are joined.
Diagnosis:1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies. 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV. See the entire definition of Diagnosis
Extended family: The family group consisting not only the nuclear family (the parents and their children) but also embracing the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and sometimes more distant relatives.
Forearm: The portion of the upper limb from the elbow to the wrist. See the entire definition of Forearm
Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic information.
Incidence: The frequency with which something, such as a disease, appears in a particular population or area. In disease epidemiology, the incidence is the number of newly diagnosed cases during a specific time period. The incidence is distinct from the prevalence which refers to the number of cases alive on a certain date.
Intrauterine: In the uterus (the womb). As opposed to extrauterine: outside the uterus. See the entire definition of Intrauterine
Ipsilateral: On the same side. A study of "ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence following lumpectomy and radiation therapy" pertains to cancer returning in the same breast as has been treated. A lesion in the right side of the brain may affect vision ipsilaterally, in the right eye. See the entire definition of Ipsilateral
Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen which clear "poisons" from the blood, regulate acid concentration and maintain water balance in the body by excreting urine. The kidneys are part of the urinary tract. The urine then passes through connecting tubes called "ureters" into the bladder. The bladder stores the urine until it is released during urination.
Magnetic resonance imaging: A special radiology technique designed to image internal structures of the body using magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce the images of body structures. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scanner is a tube surrounded by a giant circular magnet. The patient is placed on a moveable bed that is inserted into the magnet. The magnet creates a strong magnetic field that aligns the protons of hydrogen atoms, which are then exposed to a beam of radio waves. This spins the various protons of the body, and they produce a faint signal that is detected by the receiver portion of the MRI scanner. A computer processes the receiver information, and an image is produced. The image and resolution is quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body, particularly in the soft tissue, brain and spinal cord, abdomen and joints. See the entire definition of Magnetic resonance imaging
Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. There are three types of muscle in the body. Muscle which is responsible for moving extremities and external areas of the body is called "skeletal muscle." Heart muscle is called "cardiac muscle." Muscle that is in the walls of arteries and bowel is called "smooth muscle."
Offspring: The offspring are strictly speaking the progeny, or young, born to a person. See the entire definition of Offspring
Poland anomaly: A unique pattern of one-sided malformations characterized by a defect of the chest (pectoralis) muscle on one side of the body and webbing of the fingers (cutaneous syndactyly) of the ipsilateral hand (the hand on the same side). Often called Poland syndrome. See the entire definition of Poland anomaly
Poland sequence: A unique pattern of one-sided malformations characterized by a defect of the chest (pectoralis) muscle on one side of the body and webbing of the fingers (cutaneous syndactyly) of the ipsilateral hand (the hand on the same side). Often called Poland syndrome. See the entire definition of Poland sequence
Poland syndactyly: A unique pattern of one-sided malformations characterized by a defect of the chest (pectoralis) muscle on one side of the body and webbing of the fingers (cutaneous syndactyly) of the ipsilateral hand (the hand on the same side). Often called Poland syndrome. See the entire definition of Poland syndactyly
Poland syndrome: A developmental disorder of the chest wall involving a unique pattern of one-sided malformations characterized by a defect (absence or underdevelopment) of the main chest muscle (the pectoralis major) on one side of the body and webbing of the fingers (cutaneous syndactyly) of the ipsilateral hand (the hand on the same side). These features are congenital (are at birth) and have, in fact, been detected upon occasion before birth by ultrasound. See the entire definition of Poland syndrome
Puberty: A complex biologic and psychologic process involving sexual development, accelerated growth, and adrenal maturation heralded by the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. This event is the first known step in the reproductive cascade. It initiates the pulsatile release of gonadotropins, gonadal secretion of sex steroids, pubertal development, and gametogenesis (the production of sperm and ova). See the entire definition of Puberty
Radius: In anatomy, the radius is the smaller of the two bones on the thumb side of the forearm. (The bigger one is the ulna). See the entire definition of Radius
Rib: One of the 12 paired arches of bone which form the skeletal structure of the chest wall (the rib cage). The ribs attach to the building blocks of the spine (vertebrae) in the back. The 12 pairs of ribs consist of:
True ribs: The first seven ribs attach to the sternum (the breast bone) in the front and are known as true ribs (or sternal ribs).
False ribs: The lower five ribs do not directly connect to the sternum and are known as false ribs.
Rib cage: The structure formed by the thoracic vertebrae and ribs, the sternum (breastbone), and the costal cartilages (that attach the ribs to the sternum). See the entire definition of Rib cage
Scapula: The shoulder blade (or "wingbone"), the familiar flat triangular bone at the back of the shoulder. See the entire definition of Scapula
Shoulder: A structure made up of two main bones: the scapula (shoulder blade) and the humerus (the long bone of the upper arm). The end of the scapula, called the glenoid, is a socket into which the head of the humerus fits, forming a flexible ball-and-socket joint. The scapula is an unusually shaped bone. It extends up and around the shoulder joint at the rear to create a roof called the acromion and around the shoulder joint at the front to constitute the coracoid process. The shoulder joint is cushioned by cartilage that covers the face of the glenoid socket and the head of the humerus. The joint is stabilized by a ring of fibrous cartilage around the glenoid socket that is called the labrum. Ligaments connect the bones of the shoulder and tendons join these bones to surrounding muscles. The bicepstendon attaches the biceps muscle to the shoulder and helps stabilize the joint. Four short muscles that originate on the scapula pass around the shoulder where their tendons fuse together to form the rotator cuff.
Shoulder blade: The familiar flat triangular bone at the back of the shoulder. Known familiarly as the wingbone or, medically, as the scapula. See the entire definition of Shoulder blade
Spine: 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 of the neck and in the middle of the back. These spines protect the spinal cord from injury from behind.
Sporadic: Occurring upon occasion or in a scattered, isolated or seemingly random way. See the entire definition of Sporadic
Sternum: Anatomic name for the breast bone, the long flat bone in the upper middle of the front of the chest. See the entire definition of Sternum
Subclavian: Under the clavicle (the collar bone), as the subclavian artery or the subclavian vein.
Surgery: The word "surgery" has multiple meanings. It is the branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions which require or are amenable to operative procedures. Surgery is the work done by a surgeon. By analogy, the work of an editor wielding his pen as a scalpel is s form of surgery. A surgery in England (and some other countries) is a physician's or dentist's office. See the entire definition of Surgery
Syndactyly: A condition in which two or more of the fingers or toes are joined together. This joining can involve the bones or just the skin between the digits. Joining of the bones is called bony syndactyly. Webbing of the skin between the fingers without any joining of the bones is called cutaneous syndactyly. See the entire definition of Syndactyly
Syndrome: A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease. See the entire definition of Syndrome
Therapeutic: Relating to therapeutics, that part of medicine concerned specifically with the treatment of disease. The therapeutic dose of a drug is the amount needed to treat a disease. See the entire definition of Therapeutic
Tomography: The process for generating a tomogram, a two-dimensional image of a slice or section through a three-dimensional object. Tomography achieves this remarkable result by simply moving an x-ray source in one direction as the x-ray film is moved in the opposite direction during the exposure to sharpen structures in the focal plane, while structures in other planes appear blurred. The tomogram is the picture; the tomograph is the apparatus; and tomography is the process. See the entire definition of Tomography
Ulna: The larger of the two long bones within the forearm. (The smaller one is the radius). The ulna is on the same side of the arm as the little finger.
Vessel: A tube in the body that carries fluids: blood vessels or lymph vessels.
The time when boys and girls begin the process of sexual maturation is called puberty. During this time, both sexes undergo a series of biological changes that include a rapid increase in height, bone growth, weight increase, the growth of pubic hair, breast development and the onset of menstruation in girls, and testicle, penis, and muscle enlargement in boys.
Birth defects have many causes and currently, are the leading cause of death for infants in the first year of life. Some of the causes of birth defects include genetic or chromosome problems. Exposure of the mother to rubella or German measles during pregnancy, or using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. The treatment for birth defects depends upon the condition of the effected child.
Birth defects are structural or functional abnormalities present at birth
that cause physical or mental disability. Some may be fatal.
Researchers have identified thousands of different birth defects. Currently,
birth defects are the leading cause of death for infants during the first year
of life.
What causes birth defects?
Birth defects have a variety of causes, such as:
Genetic problems caused when one or more genes doesn't work
properly or part of a gene is missing
Problems with chromosomes, such as having an extra chromosome or missing part
of a chromosome
Environmental factors that a woman is exposed to during
pregnancy, such as
rubella or German measles
while pregnant, or using drugs or
alcohol during pregnancy.
What are the different types of birth defects?
There are two main types of birth defects: structural and
functio...
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