Dictionary

whooping cough See pertussis.

Wilms tumor A childhood form of kidney cancer with a peak age of occurrence at 3 years of age. It is sometimes associated with abnormalities of the urinary tracts or other birth defects. Some cases are related to defects in one of two genes referred to as Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) or Wilms’ tumor 2…

Wilson disease An inherited disorder of copper metabolism that results in an abnormal accumulation of copper in the body. Although the accumulation of copper begins at birth, symptoms of the disorder do not appear until later in life, between the ages of 6 and 40. A diagnostic feature of the disease is a Kayser-Fleischer ring,…

windpipe See trachea.

winter depression See seasonal affective disorder.

wisdom tooth See tooth, wisdom.

withdrawal symptoms Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt discontinuation of a drug that has the capability of producing physical dependence. Common withdrawal symptoms include sweating, tremors, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, and muscle pain.

WM Medical shorthand for white male.

WNL Medical shorthand for within normal limits. For example, a laboratory test result may be WNL.

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome A condition that is caused by an abnormality in the electrical system of the heart, which normally tells the heart muscle when to contract. Abbreviated WPW syndrome. In WPW syndrome there is an extra electrical connection inside the heart that acts as a short circuit, causing the heart to beat too rapidly and…

Wolhynia fever See trench fever.

womb See uterus.