Dictionary

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

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….

gallstone, microscopic See biliary sand.

gamete Germ cell.

gamete intrafallopian transfer An assisted reproductive procedure for the treatment of infertility in which a woman’s eggs are removed, mixed with sperm, and placed into the fallopian tube via a laparoscopic procedure. Abbreviated GIFT. GIFT allows the fertilization process to take place inside the fallopian tubes rather than inside the laboratory. GIFT involves stimulation of…

gamma knife A tool that uses highly focused beams of gamma radiation to perform neurosurgery without making an incision. A gamma knife is used to treat many types of brain tumors as well as arteriovenous malformations and other conditions of the brain. See also radiation therapy, stereotactic.

fungus A plantlike organism that does not contain chlorophyll and feeds on organic matter. An example of a common fungus is the yeast organism that causes thrush and diaper rash (diaper dermatitis).

fungus, foot See athlete’s foot.

funnel chest “Caved-in” chest. Usually an unimportant isolated finding first evident at birth, funnel chest can occasionally be part of a connective-tissue disorder such as Marfan syndrome. Also known as pectus excavatum.

funny bone A sensation, rather than an actual bone, that one gets when the elbow is bumped and the ulnar nerve that runs past the elbow is stimulated and produces a strange, almost painful, sensation.

FUO See fever of unknown origin.

furosemide A common diuretic medication (brand name: Lasix) that is prescribed to rid the body of excess fluid. Furosemide may be recommended to treat fluid accumulation as a result of kidney disease, fluid in the lungs, congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, and other conditions. See also diuretic, loop.