M

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Pronounced – mag-NEH-tik REH-zuh-nunts IH-muh-jing
A non-invasive scanning technique that enables investigators to see and track, for example, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesions as they evolve. MRI is a procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI imaging is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called MRI, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging or NMRI.

Malignant
Pronounced – ma-LIG-nant
Cancerous. Malignant tumors can invade and destroy nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body.

Malnutrition
Poor nutrition because of an insufficient or poorly balanced diet or faulty digestion or utilization of foods.

Metastasis
Pronounced – meh-TAS-ta-sis
The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. A tumor formed from cells that have spread is called a secondary tumor, a metastatic tumor, or a metastasis. The secondary tumor contains cells that are like those in the original (primary) tumor. The plural form of metastasis is metastases (pronounced – meh-TAS-ta-seez).

Molecule
The smallest particle of a substance that retains the chemical and physical properties of the substance and is composed of two or more atoms.

Motility
Pronounced – moh-TIL-uh-tee
The movement of food through the digestive tract.

Motility Disorders
Pronounced – moh-TIL-uh-tee dis-or-durz
Disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. These conditions result from poor nerve and muscle function. Symptoms such as gas, pain, constipation, and diarrhea come back again and again, but there are no signs of disease or damage. Emotional stress can trigger symptoms. Also called functional disorders.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
A procedure in which radio waves and a powerful magnet linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures can show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. MRI makes better images of organs and soft tissue than other scanning techniques, such as computed tomography (CT) or x-ray. MRI is especially useful for imaging the brain, the spine, the soft tissue of joints, and the inside of bones. Also called magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging or NMRI.

MRSA – Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Some staph bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph that is resistant to antibiotics called beta-lactams. Beta-lactam antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.

Skin infections start when bacteria get into a cut or scrape. Bacteria live on everyone’s skin and usually causes no harm. But when Staphylococcus bacteria get into your body through a break in the skin, they can cause a “staph” (Pronounced – staff) infection.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), often referred to simply as “staph,” are bacteria commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Staph bacteria are one of the most common causes of skin infection in the United States and have been around for a long time, causing mild to severe illness. About one-third of the people in the world have S. aureus bacteria on their bodies at any given time. The bacteria can be present without causing an active infection. Of the people with S. aureus present, about 1 percent has MRSA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Most of these skin infections are minor – such as pimples or boils and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage – and can be treated without antibiotics (also known as antimicrobials or antibacterials). However, staph bacteria also can cause serious infections – such as surgical wound infections, bloodstream infections, and pneumonia.

Mucosa
Having to do with a mucous membrane. Mucous pertains to mucus, a thick fluid produced by the lining of some tissues of the body.

Mucus
Pronounced – MYOO-kuhss
A clear, sticky discharge made by the intestines. It coats and protects tissues in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Myelin
Pronounced – MY-eh-lin
A fatty covering insulating nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord, myelin facilitates the smooth, high-speed transmission of electrochemical messages between these components of the central nervous system and the rest of the body. In MS, myelin is damaged through a process known as demyelination, which results in distorted or blocked signals.

Myelin Basic Protein (MBP)
A major component of myelin. When myelin breakdown occurs, as in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), MBP can often be found in abnormally high levels in the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid. When injected into laboratory animals, MBP induces experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, a chronic (lasting a long time) brain and spinal cord disease similar to MS.