Medical Dictionary Terms Beginning with S

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SA node

SA node: Sinoatrial node. The pacemaker of the heart, located in the right atrium (upper chamber of the heart). The electrical signals initiated in the SA node are transmitted throuhg the atria and the ventricles to stimulate heart muscle contractions
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Sabin vaccine

Sabin vaccine: The oral polio vaccine. The first vaccine against poliomyelitis was introduced by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1955, was given by injection and required 4 "shots." The oral form of the vaccine, subsequently developed by Dr. Albert Sabin, is
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Saccular

Saccular: From the Latin ôsacculusö meaning a small pouch. As for example the alveolar saccules (little air pouches) within the lungs .
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Saccular aneurysm

Saccular aneurysm: An aneurysm that resembles a small sack. A berry aneurysm is typically saccular. An aneurysm is a localized widening (dilatation) of an artery, vein, or the heart. At the area of an aneurysm, there is typically a bulge and the
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Sacrum

Sacrum: The large heavy bone at the base of the spine. The Romans called this bone the "os sacrum" and the Greeks termed it the "hieron osteon," both meaning the "holy bone." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the anatomic "sacrum" entered
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SAD (seasonal affective disorder)

SAD (seasonal affective disorder): Depression that tends to occur (and recur) as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. It is believed that affected persons react adversely to the decreasing amounts of light and the colder temperatures as the fall
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Sagittal

Sagittal: A vertical plane passing through the body which divides it into left and right sides.
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Salivary

Salivary: Glands in the mouth that produce saliva. The salivary glands can become inflamed in diseases, such as Sjogren's syndrome and mumps.
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Salk vaccine

Salk vaccine: Vaccine against poliomyelitis named for Dr. Jonas Salk who developed and introduced it in 1955. It was the first type of polio vaccine to become available, was given by injection and required 4 "shots." The oral form of the vaccine,
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Salmonella

Salmonella: A group of bacteria that cause typhoid fever and other illnesses including, food poisoning, gastroenteritis and enteric fever from contaminated food products. Named for the American pathologist Daniel Salmon (1850-1914).
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Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis: Infection with bacteria belonging to the genus Salmonella to which people with immunodeficiency diseases and sickle cell disease are particularly predisposed. Named for the American pathologist Daniel Salmon (1850-1914).
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Salpingo-oophorectomy

Salpingo-oophorectomy: Removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries.
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Sample, random

Sample, random: A group selected randomly, solely by chance.
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Sapphism

Sapphism: Female homosexuality. Named after the poet Sappho who lived on the Greek island of Lesbos (circa 600 BC). She was a lesbian by geography and sexual orientation. Also called lesbianism.
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Sarcoma

Sarcoma: A type of cancer that starts in bone or connective tissue.
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Satellite DNA

Satellite DNA: DNA that contains many tandem (not inverted) repeats of a short basic repeating unit. Satellite DNA is located at very specific spots in the genome (on chromosomes 1, 9, 16 and the Y chromosome, the tiny short arms of chromosomes 13-15 a
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Scalded skin syndrome

Scalded skin syndrome: A potentially serious side effect of infection with the Staph (Staphylococcus) bacteria that produces a specific protein which loosens the &cement& holding the various layers of the skin together. This allows blister fo
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Scapula

Scapula: The shoulder blade (or "wingbone"), the familiar flat triangular bone at the back of the shoulder. The word "scapula" (with the accent on the first syllable)is Latin. The Romans always employed the plural "scapulae", the shoulder blades. Becaus
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Schistosoma haematobium

Schistosoma haematobium: A species of trematode worm that parasitizes humans and causes urinary tract disease. See Schistosomiasis.
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Schistosoma japonicum

Schistosoma japonicum: A species of trematode worm that parasitizes humans and that (like S. mansoni) causes liver and gastrointestinal tract disease. See Schistosomiasis.
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