The spelling of the word "dilatation" can be tricky, as it contains a combination of letters that don't always follow standard English pronunciation rules. The word is spelled with the two-letter combination "ti" instead of "ta" because it comes from the Latin word "dilatatio." In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced as "daɪləˈteɪʃ(ə)n," which breaks down the pronunciation of each letter and makes it easier to understand the spelling. Despite its tricky spelling, "dilatation" is a commonly used term in medical contexts to refer to the expansion of a bodily structure.
Dilatation is a medical term that refers to the act of dilating or expanding a body part, organ, or blood vessel. It involves enlarging the diameter or size of a structure to allow for improved flow, easier passage, or to facilitate medical procedures.
In the context of blood vessels, dilatation can be natural or induced. Natural dilatation occurs when the blood vessels widen due to the relaxation of smooth muscles in their walls, allowing for increased blood flow. This can occur during physical exercise, exposure to heat, or in response to certain hormones. On the other hand, induced dilatation involves the deliberate enlargement of blood vessels through the use of medications or medical procedures. This can be done to improve blood flow or relieve a blockage.
In the context of medical procedures such as endoscopy or radiology, dilatation is often performed to widen a narrow or constricted passage. This assists in the insertion and maneuvering of instruments or devices. For example, a balloon dilator may be used to stretch a narrowed blood vessel, while an esophageal dilator can be employed to widen a narrowed esophagus.
Overall, dilatation is a process that aims to expand the size of internal structures for various medical purposes, such as enhancing blood flow, relieving obstructions, or facilitating interventions.
• Proctectasia.
• Aneurysm, arteriectasia.
• 1. Enlargement of a cavity, canal, or opening, occurring pathologically or made artificially. 2. The act of dilating or enlarging.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The act of expanding; a spreading or extending in all directions; expansion.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "dilatation" is derived from the Latin word "dilatatio", which comes from the verb "dilatare". "Dilatare" is a compound word that combines "di-" (meaning "apart" or "widely") and "latus" (meaning "wide" or "broad"). Therefore, "dilatatio" essentially means "an act of widening or expanding". The term "dilatation" has been adopted into English and is commonly used in the medical field to refer to the expansion or enlargement of a body part, such as blood vessels, heart chambers, or the female cervix during childbirth.