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Medical Dictionary Terms Beginning with I
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Imprinting
Imprinting: A remarkable genetic phenomenon. The gist is that gene expression depends on the sex of the transmitting parent. There is, for example, increased severity of neurofibromatosis when the gene for it came from the mother.more detail info...
in
in: Abbreviation for inch.more detail info...
In situ
In situ: In the normal location. An in situ tumor is one that is confined to its site of origin and has not invaded neighboring tissue or metastasized elsewhere.more detail info...
In situ hybridization
In situ hybridization: The use of a DNA or RNA probe to detect the complementary DNA sequence.more detail info...
In vitro
In vitro: The opposite of in vivo, it literally means in glass, that is in a test tube, in the laboratory. An in vitro test is one done in the lab, not in a living organism.more detail info...
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
In vitro fertilization (IVF): A laboratory procedure in which sperm cells are put in a special dish with unfertilized eggs to achieve fertilization. The embryos that result can be transferred into the uterus (womb) or cryopreserved (frozen) formore detail info...
In vivo
In vivo: In the living organism.more detail info...
Inappropriate ADH secretion
Inappropriate ADH secretion: A syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) which results in the inability to put out dilute urine, perturbs fluid (and electrolyte) balance, and causes nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, confumore detail info...
Inborn errors of metabolism
Inborn errors of metabolism: Heritable (genetic) disorders of biochemistry. Examples of inborn errors of metabolism include albinism, cystinuria (a cause of kidney stones), phenylketonuria (PKU), and some forms of gout, sun sensitivity, and andmore detail info...
Inbreeding
Inbreeding: The mating of two closely related persons. Also called consanguinity.more detail info...
Inbreeding, coefficient of
Inbreeding, coefficient of: A measure of how close two people are genetically to each another. The coefficient of inbreeding, symbolized by the letter F, is the probability that a person with two identical genes received both genes from one ancesmore detail info...
Incest
Incest: Sexual activity between individuals so closely related that marriage is prohibited. Incest involving a child is a form of child abuse.more detail info...
Inch
Inch: In length, 1/12th of foot or 1/36 of a yard or, metrically, 2.54 centimeters. The inch, along with the foot and yard, are Old World creations to which the USA has stubbornly clung. The inch was originally about the length of the last bone (more detail info...
Incision
Incision: A cut. When making an incision, a surgeon is making a cut.more detail info...
Incompetant cervix
Incompetant cervix: A cervix that is abnormally liable to dilate and so is not competant to keep the fetus up in the uterus and keep it from being spontaneously aborted (miscarried).more detail info...
Incontinence
Incontinence: Inability to control excretions. Urinary incontinence is inability to keep urine in the bladder. Fecal incontinence is inability to retain feces in the rectum.more detail info...
Incontinence of urine
Incontinence of urine: Inability to hold urine in the bladder. This is due to failure of voluntary control over the urinary sphincters resulting in involuntary passage of urine (wetting).more detail info...
Incontinence, fecal
Incontinence, fecal: Inability to hold feces in the rectum. This is due to failure of voluntary control over the anal sphincters permitting untimely passage of feces and gas. Also called rectal incontinence.more detail info...
Incontinence, rectal
Incontinence, rectal: Inability to hold feces in the rectum due to failure of voluntary control over the anal sphincters with involuntary passage of feces and gas. Also called fecal incontinence.more detail info...
Incontinence, urinary
Incontinence, urinary: Inability to hold urine in the bladder. This is due to failure of voluntary control over the urinary sphincters resulting in involuntary passage of urine (wetting).more detail info...