Dictionary

RTS Rothmund-Thomson syndrome.

RSV 1 Respiratory syncytial virus. 2 Rous sarcoma virus, a virus that is the cause of a serious form of soft tissue cancer called sarcoma.

rRNA Ribosomal RNA. See RNA, ribosomal.

RPR test Rapid plasma reagin test. See syphilis test, RPR.

roundworm A type of parasitic worm that hatches in the intestines and lives there. The eggs of the roundworm usually enter the body through contaminated water or food or on fingers placed in the mouth after the hands have touched a contaminated object. Symptoms of roundworm infections include fatigue, weight loss, irritability, poor appetite, abdominal…

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome A hereditary disease that is characterized by progressive effects on multiple areas of the body, including the skin, hair, eyelashes, teeth, musculoskeletal system, blood, and eyes. Patients have an increased risk for developing cancer, especially osteosarcoma and skin cancer. Abbreviated RTS. RTS is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait and is caused by…

rotavirus A virus that is a leading cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration in young children. Abbreviated RV. Almost everyone catches RV before entering school, but, with rehydration and good nutrition, nearly all recover fully. Aside from causing acute infantile gastroenteritis and diarrhea in young children, RV is typically accompanied by lowgrade fever. Immunization of…

rotator cuff disease Damage to the rotator cuff that can be due to trauma, as from falling and injuring the shoulder; overuse in sports, particularly those that involve repetitive overhead motions; inflammation, as from tendonitis, bursitis, or arthritis of the shoulder; or degeneration, as from aging. The main symptom of rotator cuff disease is shoulder…

rotator cuff A group of four tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. Each of these tendons attaches to a muscle that moves the shoulder in a specific direction. The four muscles whose tendons form the rotator cuff are the subscapularis muscle, which moves the arm by turning it inward (internal rotation); the supraspinatus muscle, which…

roseola See measles.

rosacea A chronic skin disease that causes persistent redness over the areas of the face and nose that normally blush: mainly the forehead, the chin, and the lower half of the nose. The tiny blood vessels in these areas enlarge (dilate) and become more visible through the skin, appearing like tiny red lines (telangiectasias). Pimples…

Rorschach test A common psychological test that involves using inkblots that show enigmatic and highly ambiguous shapes. Ten standardized blots are shown, one at a time, to a person, and the person’s responses are recorded, to determine what the person perceives about the inkblots.