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volvulus

A serious condition where there is twisting of a loop of the intestine, or, in rare cases,of the stomach

vomiting

Expusion of the contents of the stomach through the mouth.

von Willebrand's disease

A bleeding disorder caused by a defect of deficiency of a blood clotting protein.

VT

ventricular tachycardia

vulva

The external part of the female genitalia.

vulvitis

Inflammation of the vulva.

vulvovaginitis

Inflammation of the vagina and vulva.

warfarin

An anti-coagulant drug used to treat and prevent abnormal blood clotting.

wart

A common, contagious, harmless growth that occurs on the skin or mucous membranes. Only the topmost layer of skin is affected.

watchful waiting

The management of prostate cancer by surveillance rather than initial intervention.

water deprivation test

A test that assesses someone's ability to produce and concentrate urine during a time when they have no fluid intake. It is usually used to diagnose diabetes insipidus.

WBC scan

An abbreviation for white blood cell scan, a test involving the injection of radio-labelled white blood cells into the body to determine the extent and position of inflammation and infection in the body.

WBI

An abbreviation for whole body irradiation, a type of radiotherapy given to the whole body to destroy bone marrow cells before stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

WCC

white cell count

Wernicke’s encephalopathy

A type of brain damage caused by deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1).

whiplash

An injury to the soft tissues of the neck, classically arising from a car accident

white blood cell

A type of blood cell that protects the body against foreign substances and produces antibodies.

white blood cell scan

A test involving the injection of radio-labelled white blood cells into the body to determine the extent and position of inflammation and infection in the body.

whole body irradiation

A type of radiotherapy given to the whole body to destroy bone marrow cells before stem cell or bone marrow transplantation.

Wilson's disease

A rare genetic disorder in which copper builds up in the body, mainly in the liver and brain.

womb

The uterus.

X-ray

A type of electromagnetic radiation used to produce images of the body.

xanthelsma

A yellow deposit of fatty material that is visible in the skin around the eyes. This is common in elderly people and merely cosmetic but in younger people it can suggest hyperlipidaemia.

xanthoma

A yellowish deposit of fatty material in the skin.