|
nadir |
lowest white
blood cell count measured between chemotherapy treatments |
|
narcolepsy |
sleep
disorder characterized by sudden and repeated attacks of sleep, usually
accompanied by cataplexy, hypnogogic hallucination, and sleep paralysis
|
|
nasolacrimal duct |
passageway
that carries tears to the nose |
|
nebulizer |
device used
to deliver inhaled medications, in which an air compressor is used to
blow an atomized medication through a mouthpiece or face mask
|
|
needle localization biopsy |
needle marker
is inserted to define abnormal area prior to biopsy |
|
nephrectomy |
removal of
the kidney |
|
nephrotomography |
conventional
tomograms of the kidneys, especially in small sections of the kidneys |
|
neurofibromatosis |
genetic
disorder which causes skin lesions, cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors,
and tumors on internal organs |
|
neurons |
nerve cells
of the brain responsible for neurological function |
|
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|
neuropathy |
condition
resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves that results in weakness
or sensory loss and pain in the arms, hand, legs, and feet |
|
neutropenia |
low level of
neutrophils in the blood |
|
neutropenic fevers |
fever
associated with low white blood cell count and low granulocyte count |
|
neutrophil |
most abundant
type of white blood cell, or leukocyte, that is active in immune
responses and inflammatory reactions |
|
nevus (pl., nevi) |
congenital
skin lesion, e.g., mole, birthmark, etc. |
|
nodule |
elevated,
solid mass or lump (up to 2 cm in diameter) that can be located in the
epidermis, dermis, or the subcutaneous fat |
|
noninvasive procedure |
medical
examination that does not penetrate the skin or invade the body, except
for minor needle sticks |
|
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) |
drugs that
act against inflammation, reduce fever, relieve muscle pain, and prevent
blood clots |
|
normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) |
increase in
pressure within the ventricles of the brain, causing dementia, gait
difficulties, and urinary incontinence |
|
nystagmus |
jerking
movement of the eyes associated with neurological disorder |
|
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