Author: Glossary
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Ascitic fluid
Clear, pale, straw-colored fluid occurring in ascites. The fluid is normally sterile; its specific gravity is normally 1.005 to 1.015; the cellular content is less than 250 white blood cells per cubic millimeter, and its protein content is low. Cancer, heart failure, liver failure, peritonitis, and tuberculosis may alter the amount or character of ascites.…
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Allantoic fluid
Fluid found in the fetal membrane that develops from the yolk sac.
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Fluency
The ease and efficiency of speech; the production of speech without pauses, lapses, or hesitation. The capacity to generate a continuous flow of words without experiencing interruptions is known as fluency. Stuttering serves as an illustration of a difficulty with fluency.
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Fluence
In radiation oncology, the number of photons per unit area. Fluence is one of several modifiable factors in the treatment of diseased tissues with radiation.
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Fludeoxyglucose
A fluorinated, radiographically visible glucose molecule used in positron emission tomography PET scanning) to demonstrate the glucose uptake of tissues. During the evaluation of mass lesions suspected of being cancerous, high fludeoxyglucose uptake strongly suggests malignancy.
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Flow state
An altered state of consciousness in which the mind functions at its peak, time may seem distorted, and a sense of happiness prevails. In such a state the individual feels truly alive and fully attentive to what is being done. This state is distinguished from strained attention, in which the person forces himself to perform…
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Flow cell
A type of optical cell employed in photometers and cell counters through which the sample and any standards are passed for detection.
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Peak flow
The maximum volume of air that can be expelled from the lungs during a vigorous exhalation. Its measurement is used to determine the degree of respiratory impairment in patients with obstructive lung diseases. A metric that assesses the highest velocity at which a patient exhales (breathes out), commonly referred to as the peak expiratory flow…
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Flow
Movement of a gas or liquid. An experience of merging one’s consciousness with an event in the present moment.
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Flor-essence
A tea containing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immuno-stimulatory chemicals. It is not approved as a treatment for cancer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,