Terminology M

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MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (MRI) -Produces cross-sectional images of the body without use of radiation.

MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY (MRS) - Gives information of chemical composition. Prostate cancer demonstrates low citrate and high choline levels.

MALIGNANT - Refers to a tumor that is cancerous and can grow and spread to other parts of the body.

MARGIN STATUS - This refers to how close the cancer comes to the edge of tissues removed during surgery. A negative margin suggests all the cancer was removed, while a positive margin suggests that some cancer cells may remain.

METASTASIS - The spread of cancer cells from the original tumor site through the blood and lymph vessels to other parts of the body to produce tumors at new sites.

MEMBRANE - A thin layer of tissue which covers a surface, lines a cavity, or divides a space or organ. Cells are covered by a membrane.

MESENCHYME - The connective tissue of fetal and developing organs which will develop into the stroma. Mesenchyme dictates the development and patterning of the epithelium during organ development and in turn is induced to differentiate by the developing epithelial structures.

MESSENGER RNA (RIBONUCELIC ACID) - The compounds which transmit genetic information from DNA to the protein-forming system of the cell.

METASTASIS - The transfer of disease from one organ or part to another not directly connected to it. The capacity to metastasize is a characteristic of all malignant tumors.

MITOSIS - Cell division.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY - An antibody that recognizes one specific sequence of amino acids.