Medical dictionary

What is the Stretta procedure? Stretta is an endoscopic treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) designed to treat acid reflux in a minimally invasive way. Reflux occurs when the ring of muscle (sphincter) that separates the oesophagus from the stomach doesn’t close properly due to weakness and/or the presence of a hiatus hernia. Stretta uses radiofrequency energy to apply h

What is a thyroid ultrasound? Thyroid ultrasound is a morphological examination of the thyroid. It is a non-invasive, painless and safe to ionizing radiation test, which is based on ultrasound emitted by an electrical probe. Ultrasound is particularly useful for defining the volume of the gland, to identify any nodes or inflammatory processes. With this technique, the specialist can diagnose ce

What is ulcerative colitis? Ulcerative colitis is a condition where the large intestine and rectum become inflamed and eventually produce ulcers. It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease, along with Crohn’s disease. Inflammatory bowel disease affects more than 620,000 people in the UK . Can it be cured? Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition, which means it can’t

What is an ultrasound?   Ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging procedure that allows you to see organs and soft structures inside the body. At present, they can be 2D, 3D or four-dimensional images. Ultrasound is a non-invasive technique, in which radiation is not used. Thanks to this, it is used to visualise developing foetuses in pregnancy.     What does an ultraso

What is upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery?   Upper gastrointestinal (GI) surgery is surgery performed to treat pathologies of either the upper gastrointestinal tract (small bowel), gall bladder, liver, pancreas or oesophagus.       The upper gastrointestinal (GI) includes the oesophagus (the food pipe), the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine)

What is hepatitis? Viral hepatitis is a form of hepatitis, which is the general term for inflammation affecting the liver, consequently causing it to function improperly. There are several kinds of viral hepatitis, including A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis can also be caused by drinking too much alcohol. There is also another form of hepatitis called autoimmune hepatitis, in which the

What is a virtual colonoscopy? A virtual colonoscopy, also known as a CT colonography, is a type of scan which produces detailed images of the large intestine using low bursts of radiation. The scan is generally used to look for small growths called polyps in the colon and screen for bowel cancer. What does it involve? A virtual colonoscopy is similar to other types of CT scan. It inv

What is vitamin D deficiency?Vitamin D deficiency is when the body is lacking in the vitamin, which is essential for strong bones and teeth. It’s estimated that one billion people worldwide suffer from low levels of vitamin D.Vitamin D is produced by the body when our skin is exposed to sunlight and it can be found naturally in some foods like fish liver oil, egg yolks and fortified dairy and cere

Vomiting involves the “throwing up” of the contents of your stomach. Rather than a condition in itself, vomiting is a symptom of a wide variety of illnesses. What can cause vomiting? There are many conditions which can cause vomiting, so it can be difficult to know for certain. In children, vomiting is commonly a reaction to motion sickness, over-eating, a milk allergy, food