Medical dictionary

A mammography, or mammogram, is a breast cancer screening to look for signs of breast cancer in women who otherwise show no signs or symptoms. It can also be used when a breast lump has been detected. Mammography uses X-ray imaging to detect signs of breast cancer in the early stages before they become noticeable.   What happens during a mammography? A mammography takes two X-ra

What is mastalgia? Mastalgia is the medical term for breast pain. There are two main types of mastalgia – cyclic and non-cyclic. Cyclic pain is connected to the menstrual cycle and, as such, usually occurs monthly. It usually manifests in both breasts, but can be limited to just one, or can also radiate to the armpit and/or arm. Non-cyclic pain is not linked to the menstrual cycle.

What is a mastectomy? A mastectomy is a surgical procedure performed using general anaesthetic that removes an entire breast. This is used to treat breast cancer and often involves removing most of the breast tissue, skin and the nipple. Depending on where the cancer is present, a single or double mastectomy will be performed. Mastectomy is often followed by breast reconstruction surgery. 

What is mastitis? Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary glands caused, usually, by an infection. Common symptoms include swelling, pain, redness and sometimes a mild fever. What symptoms does it present? The usual symptoms of mastitis are: Breast pain Swelling The breast is sensitive to the touch and flushed Swollen lymph nodes in the armpits Fever and chills Fati

What is May-Thurner syndrome? Also known as iliac vein compression syndrome, May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is a condition in which the left iliac vein in the pelvis becomes compressed by the overlying right iliac artery. The result of this is an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (i.e. blood clot) occurring in the left leg. Deep vein thrombosis can cause discomfort, but ar

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that forms from the skin cells called melanocytes, which give the skin its pigment. This type of skin cancer can also be called malignant melanoma and is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, with a mortality rate of around 20 per cent if the cancer goes undetected.   What causes melanoma? Melanoma is most often caused by over-exposure to

What is surgical mesh?Surgical mesh refers to a number of biologic and synthetic materials that are sometimes used to surgically treat conditions that primarily affect women. What are the main conditions that surgical mesh generally treats?Generally, surgical mesh is performed in order to repair pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in women.  Are there different typ

What is metastasis?Metastasis is a process wherein cancer spreads from one part of the body to the other, affecting one or more organs. This may also be known as ‘secondary’ cancer, and is a late stage, meaning metastatic cancer has a lower possibility of being cured.  How does metastasis happen?Cancer can spread from the primary cancer site to other areas of the body through the lymphat

What is morbid obesity? Obesity relates to being overweight and having excessive body fat. The most common method used to determine if a person is obese is known as the body mass index (BMI) calculator. This tool is used to measure whether your weight is within a healthy range in relation to your height.   A person who is morbidly or severely obese will have too much body fat for the