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Medical Dictionary - Letter: i

Term	Definition	Pronunciation
I	iodine
-ia	condition, state, disease
-iasis	condition, state
iatr/o	treatment, medicine
IBD	inflammatory bowel disease
IBS	irritable bowel syndrome
ibuprofen	A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent with analgesic properties used in the therapy of rheumatism and arthritis.
IBW	ideal body weight
IC	inspiratory capacity
-ic	pertaining to
ICD	implantable cardiac defibrillator
ICF	intermediate care facility
ichthyosis	A family of skin disorders characterized by dry, thickened skin.	ik″the-o´sis
-ician	specialist, practitioner
ICP	intracranial pressure
ICS	intercostal space
ICSH	interstitial cell-stimulating hormone
icter/o	jaundice
ictus	An attack, blow, stroke, or seizure.
ICU	intensive care unit
id	The part of the personality structure which harbors the unconscious instinctive desires and strivings of the individual.
ide/o	idea
idi/o	distinct
IDM	infants of diabetic mothers
IED	improvised explosive device
IF	interferon
Ig	immunoglobulin
IGT	impaired glucose tolerance
ile/o	ileum (final section of small intestine)
ileal	Of or pertaining to the ileum.
ileectomy	Surgical removal of the ileum.	il″e-ek´to-me
ileitis	Inflammation of any segment of the ileum.
ileostomy	A surgical construction of an opening into the ileum on the abdominal wall.
ileum	The distal and narrowest portion of the small intestine, between the jejunum and the ileocecal valve of the large intestine.
Ileus	Impairment of the normal flow of the intestinal contents within the bowel.	il´e-us
ili/o	ilium (uppermost and largest bone of the pelvis)
iliac artery	Either of two large arteries originating from the abdominal aorta; they supply blood to the pelvis, abdominal wall and legs.
ilium	The largest of three bones that make up each half of the pelvic girdle.
illusion	An error in perception.
IM	intramuscular
immobilization	The restriction of the movement of whole or part of the body.
immun/o	immune, safe
immunity	Protection from diseases, particularly infectious diseases.
immunization	A process for building or augmenting resistance to an infectious disease.
immunoglobulins	An infection-fighting protein in the blood or secretory fluids that helps destroy bacteria, viruses and toxins.
immunosuppressant	Deliberate prevention or diminution of the host's immune response.
immunotherapy	Manipulation of the host's immune system in treatment of disease.	im″u-no-ther´ah-pe
imperforate	Not open.
impetigo	A contagious skin condition common in children, caused by streptococcus, staphylococcus.	im″pĕ-ti´go
impingement syndrome	The result of chronic and repetitive compression of the rotator-cuff tendons in the shoulder.	impinj´mənt
implant	To embed.
impotence	The inability to sustain a penile erection to allow normal vaginal intercourse.
impulsive behavior	An act performed without delay, reflection, voluntary direction or obvious control in response to a stimulus.
IMV	intermittent mandatory ventilation
in vitro	In a glass. In an artificial environment outside a living organism
in-	in, not or fiber
incidence	The number of new cases of a given disease during a specified period in a population.
incineration	High temperature destruction of waste by burning with reduction to ashes.
incision	A cut made by a medical professional.	in-sizh´un
incisor	Any of the four maxillary and four mandibular teeth, having a sharp incisal edge.
incontinence	The inability to control the flow of urine from the bladder.	in-kon´tĭ-nens
incubation	Maintaining optimal environmental conditions for the growth of microbial or tissue cultures. Also, the time period between exposure to an infectious agent and the appearance of symptoms.
IND	investigational new drug
indication	The basis, evidence or rationale for using a particular treatment or diagnostic test.
induction	Causing to occur.
inf.	inferior
infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.
infarction	Tissue death due to lack of oxygen	in-fark´ shun
infection	The invasion of the body by disease causing agents and the body's reaction.	in-fek´shun
infectious myringitis	An infection causing painful blisters on the eardrum. More often seen in children than adults. Causal agent is Mycoplasma.	mĭ-rin-ji´tis
inferior	below
infertility	Inability to conceive and produce viable offspring.
inflammation	The response of body tissues to injury, irritation or infection. Usually manifested by the signs of pain, heat, redness and swelling.
influenza	Acute, contagious viral infection of the respiratory system.	[in″floo-en´zah
infra-	below, down, under
infusion pumps	A device that delivers intravenous fluids at low doses and at a controllable rate.
inguin/o	groin
inguinal canal	A tunnel in the abdominal wall through which a testis descends into the scrotum.
inhalation	Breathing in.
inj.	injection
injections	Introduction of substances into the body using a needle and syringe.
insecticides	Agents used to control insects.
insemination	The deposit of seminal fluid within the vagina.
insomnia	Inability to sleep.
insulin	A hormone produced in the pancreas. Regulates glucose levels.	in´su-lin
insulinoma	A neoplasm of the pancreas that is one of the chief causes of hypoglycemia.	in″su-lin-o´mah
integumentary system	The outer covering of the body composed of the skin and the skin appendages, which are the hair, the nails; and the sebaceous glands and the sweat glands and their ducts.
inter-	between
intercellular	Between the cells.
interferon	A class of small protein and glycoprotein cytokines produced by T cells, fibroblasts, and other cells in response to viral infection and other biologic and synthetic stimuli.
interferons	Proteins that are produced by the body's cells as a defensive response to pathogens.
intermittency	A urinary tract disorder in which urine flow is not continuous but stops and starts.
intermittent claudication	Muscle pain caused by too little blood flow, usually during exercise.	klaw″dĭ-ka´shun
internal medicine	A medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of internal organ diseases.
interneurons	Groups or combinations of neurons between sensory and motor neurons that govern coordinated activity.
interphase	The interval between cell divisions during which the chromosomes are not individually distinguishable.
interstitial	Small space(s) between biological structures.	in″ter-stish´al
interstitial cystitis	Painful bladder syndrome.	in″ter-stish´al sis-ti´tis
intertrigo	A superficial dermatitis occurring in areas where skin surfaces come into contact with, and chafe, each other. The condition is caused by moisture and friction.
intestines	The section of the alimentary canal from the stomach to the anal canal.
intolerance	A patient's inability to tolerate a drug.
intra-	within
intracellular	Inside a cell.
intracranial	Within the skull.
intracranial embolism	Blocking of a blood vessel in the skull by an embolus which can be a thrombus or other undissolved material in the blood stream.
intracranial hematoma	Blood accumulation within the brain or between the brain and the skull,	in'tră-krā'nē-ăl hem'ŏr-ăj
intraductal papilloma	Benign tumors that grow within the breast ducts	pap″ĭ-lo´mah
intrathecal	Within a sheath.
intrauterine	Within the uterine cavity.
intravenous	Within a vein.
intrinsic muscle	A muscle whose origin and insertion are both in the same part or organ.
intro-	within
introversion	A state in which attention is largely directed inward upon one's self, with diminished interest in the outside world.
intubation	The insertion of a tube, as into the larynx.
intuition	Knowing without conscious use of reasoning.
intussusception	The movement of a bowel segment into an adjacent segment in the manner of a telescope. The condition is commonest in children.
inulin	A starch found in the tubers and roots of many plants. It is used as a diagnostic aid in tests of kidney function
invasion	The entry and proliferation of a pathogen or tumor.
invertebrates	Animals lacking a spinal column.
involucrum	An enveloping sheath.
iod/o	iodine
iodine	A nonmetallic element of the halogen group that is represented by the atomic symbol I, atomic number 53. In a solution, it is anti-infective and is used topically.
ion	An atom that has a positive or negative electric charge due to a gain or loss of one or more electrons.
ion/o	ion
iontophoresis	Therapeutic introduction of ions of soluble salts into tissues by means of electric current.
-ior	pertaining to
ipecac	An emetic.
IPPB	intermittent positive pressure breathing
ipsi-	same
IQ	intelligence quotient
IRB	institutional review board
irid/o	iris
iridectomy	Surgical removal of part of the iris.	ir″ĭ-dek´to-me
iridescence	Shining or glittering with the colors of the rainbow
iridoplegia	Paralysis of the sphincter muscle of the iris or the dilator muscle
iris	The circular pigmented membrane behind the cornea of the eye that gives the eye its color. The iris surrounds a central opening called the pupil.
iritis	Inflammation of the iris.	i-ri´tis
irradiation	Exposure to ionizing radiation.
irrigation	The washing out of a wound using a continuous flow of water or solution.
IRV	inspiratory reserve volume
is/o	equal
isch/o	suppress
ischemia	A hypoperfusion of blood through an organ or tissue caused by a obstruction of blood vessels.	is-ke´me-ah
ischemic heart disease	Recurring chest pain or discomfort when a part of the heart does not receive enough blood. Often triggered by exertion or excitement.	is-kē'mik
ischemic stroke	The main type of stroke. Occur when a blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain is blocked by a blood clot.	is-kē'mik
ischium	The inferior, dorsal portion of the hip bone.
islet	A small island.
-ism	condition, process
-ismus	spasm, contraction
isoantigens	An antigenic substance that occurs only in some individuals of a species, such as the blood group antigens of humans.
isolation	The separation of a person with an infectious disease from other people.
isomorphism	The condition of two or more objects being similar in shape or structure.
isotonic contraction	Muscle contraction with negligible change in the force of contraction but shortening of the distance between the origin and insertion.
isotonic solutions	Solutions having the same osmotic pressure.
isotopes	Atoms of an element species differing in mass number but having the same atomic number.
-ist	person who specializes
isthmus	A narrow part of an organ or body part.
-ite	resembling, the nature of
-ites	like
ithy-	erect, straight
-itis	inflammation
IU	a international unit
IUCD	intrauterine contraceptive device
IUD	intrauterine device
IUFD	intrauterine fetal distress
IUP	intrauterine pregnancy
IV	intravenous
IVF	in vitro fertilization
IVP	intravenous pyelogram
IVPB	intravenous piggyback