Dictionary

PFT Pulmonary function test.

pH The symbol for the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. The pH number is from a scale where a pH of 7 is neutral, numbers less than a pH of 7 are increasingly more acidic, and numbers greater than a pH of 7 are increasingly more alkaline.

phacoemulsification A type of cataract surgery in which the lens with the cataract is broken up by ultrasound, irrigated, and suctioned out.

phage See bacteriophage.

phagocyte A cell that can engulf particles, such as bacteria and other microorganisms or foreign matter. The principal phagocytes include the neutrophils and monocytes, both of which are types of white blood cells.

phalanges The bones of the fingers and of the toes. There are generally three phalanges (distal, middle, proximal) for each digit except the thumbs and large toes. The singular of phalanges is phalanx.

periostoma See periosteoma.

peripheral Situated away from the center or being at or near the periphery, as opposed to central. For example, peripheral vision is the type of vision that allows a person to see objects that are not in the center of his or her visual field.

peripheral blood stem cell transplantation See stem cell harvest, peripheral blood.

peripheral nervous system The portion of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord. Abbreviated PNS. The nerves in the PNS connect the central nervous system (CNS) to sensory organs, such as the eye and ear, and to other organs of the body, muscles, blood vessels, and glands. The peripheral nerves include…

peripheral neuropathy A problem with the functioning of the nerves outside the spinal cord. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include numbness, weakness, burning pain (especially at night), and loss of reflexes.

peripheral vascular disease Atherosclerosis of the arteries of the extremities. Peripheral vascular disease can lead to pain in the legs when walking (claudication) that is relieved by resting. See also atherosclerosis.