Dictionary

gamete Germ cell.

gallstone, microscopic See biliary sand.

gallstone A stone of varying size that forms when substances in bile harden. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination and number. Gallstones can block the normal flow of bile if they lodge in any of the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine….

gallop rhythm An abnormal heart rhythm that pounds in the chest resembling the gallop of a horse when heard during examination with a stethoscope.

gallium scan A test to detect sites in the body where cells are multiplying rapidly, such as tumors or areas of inflammation. A small amount of radioactive gallium is injected into a vein, and the element is taken up by cells that are rapidly dividing. A scanner is used to detect the areas of gallium…

gallium A rare metal with the atomic weight 69. There are several isotopic forms of gallium that differ from it in atomic weight. One is gallium-68, which is produced by cyclotrons and emits gamma rays. The citrate form of gallium-68 is used as a radiotracer to locate sites of inflammation and tumor tissue within the…

gallbladder absence See agenesis of the gallbladder.

gallbladder A pear-shaped organ located below the liver that stores the bile secreted by the liver. During and after a fatty meal, the gallbladder contracts, delivering the bile through the bile ducts into the intestines to help with digestion.

galactosylceramidosis See Krabbe disease.

galactosemia An inherited disorder of galactose metabolism that occurs in newborns and can result in damage to the liver, brain, kidneys, and other organs in infants due to the accumulation of galactose derivatives in the body. Individuals with galactosemia cannot tolerate any amount of human or animal milk intake. The symptoms of galactosemia resolve if…

galactose A sugar found in milk. Galactose is a disaccharide that is made up of two sugars, galactose and glucose, that are bound together.

gait A manner of walking. Observation of gait can provide early diagnostic clues for a number of disorders, including cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and Rett syndrome.