Liver Scratch Test
The liver scratch test is a technique used by medical professionals during a physical exam to locate the inferior border of the liver in order to approximate the size of a patient's liver. The technique was first credited to Burton-Opitz in 1925 where it was used to identify the cardiac silhouette, however there are references of similar techniques used prior to this. The liver scratch test can be used when other exam techniques used to approximate liver size are ineffective or unavailable and is thought to be most useful if the abdomen is distended, too tender for direct palpation, the abdominal muscles are too rigid, or the patient is obese. Technique The liver scratch test is a type of auscultatory percussion that uses the difference in sound transmission between solid and hollow organs in the abdominal cavity in order to locate the inferior edge of the liver. The test is most commonly performed by placing the stethoscope The stethoscope is a medical device for ausculta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Liver
The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it is located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. Its other roles in metabolism include the regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, and the production of hormones. The liver is an accessory digestive organ that produces bile, an alkaline fluid containing cholesterol and bile acids, which helps the breakdown of fat. The gallbladder, a small pouch that sits just under the liver, stores bile produced by the liver which is later moved to the small intestine to complete digestion. The liver's highly specialized tissue, consisting mostly of hepatocytes, regulates a wide variety of high-volume biochemical reactions, including the synthesis and breakdown of small and complex molecu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cardiac Silhouette
In radiology, the silhouette sign refers to the loss of normal borders between thoracic structures. It is usually caused by an intrathoracic radiopaque mass that touches the border of the heart or aorta.The silhouette sign and possible mechanisms Ian Maddison Nov 1994, revised Nov. 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2010. In other words, it is difficult to make out the borders of a particular structure - normal or otherwise - because it is next to another dense structure, both of which will appear white on a standard . It may occur, for example, in right middle lobe synd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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College Of Remote And Offshore Medicine
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering vocational education, or a secondary school. In most of the world, a college may be a high school or secondary school, a college of further education, a training institution that awards trade qualifications, a higher-education provider that does not have university status (often without its own degree-awarding powers), or a constituent part of a university. In the United States, a college may offer undergraduate programs – either as an independent institution or as the undergraduate program of a university – or it may be a residential college of a university or a community college, referring to (primarily public) higher education institutions that aim to provide affordable and accessible education, usually limited to two-year assoc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Auscultation
Auscultation (based on the Latin verb ''auscultare'' "to listen") is listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope. Auscultation is performed for the purposes of examining the circulatory and respiratory systems ( heart and breath sounds), as well as the alimentary canal. The term was introduced by René Laennec. The act of listening to body sounds for diagnostic purposes has its origin further back in history, possibly as early as Ancient Egypt. (Auscultation and palpation go together in physical examination and are alike in that both have ancient roots, both require skill, and both are still important today.) Laënnec's contributions were refining the procedure, linking sounds with specific pathological changes in the chest, and inventing a suitable instrument (the stethoscope) to mediate between the patient's body and the clinician's ear. Auscultation is a skill that requires substantial clinical experience, a fine stethoscope and good liste ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Stethoscope
The stethoscope is a medical device for auscultation, or listening to internal sounds of an animal or human body. It typically has a small disc-shaped resonator that is placed against the skin, and one or two tubes connected to two earpieces. A stethoscope can be used to listen to the sounds made by the heart, lungs or intestines, as well as blood flow in arteries and veins. In combination with a manual sphygmomanometer, it is commonly used when measuring blood pressure. Less commonly, "mechanic's stethoscopes", equipped with rod shaped chestpieces, are used to listen to internal sounds made by machines (for example, sounds and vibrations emitted by worn ball bearings), such as diagnosing a malfunctioning automobile engine by listening to the sounds of its internal parts. Stethoscopes can also be used to check scientific vacuum chambers for leaks and for various other small-scale acoustic monitoring tasks. A stethoscope that intensifies auscultatory sounds is called a phon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Xiphoid Process
The xiphoid process , or xiphisternum or metasternum, is a small cartilaginous process (extension) of the inferior (lower) part of the sternum, which is usually ossified in the adult human. It may also be referred to as the ensiform process. Both the Greek-derived ''xiphoid'' and its Latin equivalent ''ensiform'' mean 'swordlike' or 'sword-shaped' Structure The xiphoid process is considered to be at the level of the 9th thoracic vertebra and the T7 dermatome. Development In newborns and young (especially small) infants, the tip of the xiphoid process may be both seen and felt as a lump just below the sternal notch. At 15 to 29 years old, the xiphoid usually fuses to the body of the sternum with a fibrous joint. Unlike the synovial articulation of major joints, this is non-movable. Ossification of the xiphoid process occurs around age 40. Variation The xiphoid process can be naturally bifurcated or sometimes perforated (xiphoidal foramen). These variances in morphology are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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Midclavicular Line
{{short description, None Anatomical "lines", or "reference lines," are theoretical lines drawn through anatomical structures and are used to describe anatomical location. The following reference lines are identified in ''Terminologia Anatomica'': * Anterior median line * Lateral sternal line: A vertical line corresponding to the lateral margin of the sternum. * Parasternal line: A vertical line equidistant from the sternal and mid-clavicular lines. * Mid-clavicular line: A vertical line passing through the midpoint of the clavicle. * Mammillary line * Anterior axillary line: A vertical line on the anterior torso marked by the anterior axillary fold. * Midaxillary line: A vertical line passing through the apex of the axilla. * Posterior axillary line: A vertical line passing through the posterior axillary fold. * Scapular line: A vertical line passing through the inferior angle of the scapula. * Paravertebral line: A vertical line corresponding to the tips of the transverse proces ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |