Glossary

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Radiation - a variety of types of energy, such as X-rays and ultraviolet

Radiation therapy - treatment of a disease, such as cancer, using forms of radioactivity that damage or destroy abnormal cells

Radical surgery - treatment of disease by surgically removing all tissue that is or may be affected

Radiography - the formation of images of the inside of the body using radiation projected through the body and onto film; a radiograph is also called an X-ray

Radionuclide scanning - an imaging technique in which a radioactive substance is introduced into the body and its emitted radiation is detected; specific organs can be studied according to the amount of the radioactive substance that they absorb

Rash - an area of inflammation or a group of spots on the skin

Raynaud's disease - a condition in which the fingers and toes become pale when exposed to cold or emotional stress, owing to sudden narrowing of the arteries that supply them with blood

Recessive gene - a gene that does not produce its effect when it occurs with a dominant gene, but produces its effect only when there are two copies of it

Reconstructive surgery - surgery to rebuild part of the body that has been damaged or defective from birth

Rectal prolapse - bulging of the lining of the rectum through the anus, usually due to straining during a bowel movement

Rectum - a short tube located at the end of the large intestine, which connects the intestine to the anus

Red blood cell - a doughnut-shaped blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to body tissues

Referred pain - pain felt in a part of the body remote from the site where pain originates

Reflex - an automatic, involuntary response of the nervous system to a stimulus

Reflux esophagitis - the backflow of gastric acid from the stomach to the lower esophagus, owing to a defect in the valve that separates them

Regurgitation - the backflow of fluid; can refer to food and drink flowing back up from the stomach into the mouth or blood flowing back into the heart through a defective heart valve

Rehydration - treatment for dehydration (an abnormally low level of water in the body) in which levels are restored by taking fluids containing water, salt, and glucose by mouth or, if severe, through a vein

Relapse - the return of a disease or symptom after it had disappeared

Remission - the temporary disappearance of a disease or its symptoms, either partially or completely; also refers to the time period in which this occurs

Reproductive system - the organs and structures that allow men and women to have sexual intercourse and produce children

Resection - partial or complete surgical removal of a diseased organ or structure

Respiration - the process by which oxygen is taken in and used by tissues in the body and carbon dioxide is released

Respiratory arrest - a condition in which a person suddenly stops breathing

Respiratory distress syndrome - a condition experienced after an illness or injury damages the lungs, causing severe breathing difficulty and resulting in a life-threatening lack of oxygen in the blood

Respiratory failure - the failure of the body to exchange gases properly, which leads to a buildup of carbon dioxide and a lack of oxygen in the blood

Respiratory system - the organs that carry out the process of respiration

Rheumatoid factors - antibodies that are present in about 80% of people with rheumatoid arthritis; their detection through blood testing can help to diagnose the disorder

Rh immunoglobulin - a substance used to prevent a woman who is Rh incompatible with her fetus from becoming Rh sensitized

Rh incompatibility - a condition in which a pregnant woman's Rh factor does not match that of the fetus; can lead to the production of antibodies by the mother that destroy the fetus' red blood cells

Rh sensitized - a condition in which a woman who has a negative Rh factor develops permanent antibodies against Rh-positive blood as a result of exposure to the blood of her fetus; can cause fetal hemolysis in subsequent pregnancies

Rhythm method - a method of preventing pregnancy in which a couple does not have sexual intercourse during the days of the menstrual cycle during which fertilization can occur

Riboflavin - a vitamin belonging to the vitamin B complex that is important in many processes in the body and helps to maintain healthy skin

Rubella - a mild viral infection (also known as German measles) that produces a rash and fever; dangerous when it infects a woman during the early stages of pregnancy, when it can spread causing birth defects in the fetus

Rubeola - another term for measles

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