Word Of The Day

Dorland's Word of the Day is a great way to broaden your knowledge of medical terminology. With a new and interesting term brought to you from the 32nd edition of Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary each day, it's an easy and fun way to increase your medical vocabulary!

You can view a new word on this website each day.

Today's Word

enterohemorrhagic

causing bloody diarrhea, said of pathogenic microorganisms.

Word of the Day Archive

Bernard-Soulier syndrome (BSS)

an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by giant platelets with membranes lacking glycoprotein Ib, the probable receptor for plasma von Willebrand's factor; this keeps the platelets from binding the factor, which is necessary for their adhesion to the subendothelial surfaces of blood vessels. Symptoms include mild to moderate mucocutaneous and visceral hemorrhaging, purpura, and prolonged bleeding time. Called also giant platelet syndrome.

virtual endoscopy

an imaging technique in which cross-sectional images acquired by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging are processed by computer to reconstruct a three-dimensional display similar to that seen through an endoscope.

bovine spongiform encephalopathy

a prion disease of adult cattle that is epizootic in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, characterized by apprehensive behavior, hyperesthesia, and ataxia. It is transmitted by feed containing protein in the form of meat and bone meal derived from infected animals. The etiologic agent is also the cause of new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Called also mad cow disease.

parapneumonic empyema

a pus-containing pleural effusion occurring as a complication of pneumonia.

ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay)

any enzyme immunoassay utilizing an enzyme-labeled immunoreactant (antigen or antibody) and an immunosorbent (antigen or antibody bound to a solid support). A variety of methods (e.g., competitive binding between the labeled reactant and unlabeled unknown, or a sandwich technique in which the unknown binds both the immunosorbent and labeled antibody) may be used to measure the unknown concentration.

alemtuzumab

a recombinant, DNA-derived, humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the CD antigen CD52, which is present on B and T lymphocytes, many monocytes, macrophages, and NK cells, and certain granulocytes; administered intravenously as an antineoplastic in the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

cystoid macular edema

thickening of the macula with cystic changes, increased fluid within the sensory retina of the macula, and disruption of the blood-retinal barrier and consequent leakage on fluroescein angiography, with leaking capillaries in the posterior pole and around the optic disk; often secondary to cataract surgery.