Eccentricity
Eccentricity (medicine)
Eccentricity (pronunciation: /ɪkˈsɛntrɪsɪti/) is a term used in various fields of medicine to describe a deviation from the norm or standard. In the medical context, it often refers to an abnormal or unusual feature in the structure or behavior of an organism, particularly in relation to its position or movement.
Etymology
The term "eccentricity" originates from the Latin "ex-", meaning "out of", and "centrum", meaning "center". Thus, it essentially refers to something that is "out of the center" or deviates from the norm.
Related Terms
- Anomaly: A deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule.
- Abnormality: A state or condition significantly different from the norm.
- Variation (biology): The differences between individuals or populations.
- Deviation (statistics): A measure of difference between the observed value of a variable and some other value, often that variable's mean.
Usage in Medicine
In medicine, "eccentricity" is often used to describe a feature or behavior that deviates from what is considered normal or typical. For example, in cardiology, an eccentric hypertrophy refers to a type of abnormal enlargement or thickening of the heart muscle where the chamber of the heart increases in size, but the walls do not thicken proportionally.
In orthopedics, eccentric contraction refers to a type of muscle contraction that occurs when a muscle lengthens under load. This is in contrast to a concentric contraction, where the muscle shortens under load.
In ophthalmology, eccentric fixation is a condition where the eye does not fixate on the object of regard with the fovea, but with an extrafoveal point.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Eccentricity
- Wikipedia's article - Eccentricity
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