Human health and medicine

Iridology

Iridology, or iridodiagnosis, is an alternative practice claiming to diagnose disease from iris markings via organ charts; controlled studies and the NHMRC 2024 review find no validity beyond chance.

Sep 29, 2026

Iridotomy

Iridotomy, performed today as laser peripheral iridotomy, is an outpatient laser procedure that creates a small opening in the iris to relieve pupillary block in angle-closure glaucoma.

Sep 29, 2026

Irinotecan regimen

An irinotecan regimen is a chemotherapy treatment built around irinotecan (CPT-11), a topoisomerase I inhibitor approved in 1996 and used against colorectal, pancreatic, ovarian, and lung cancers.

Iris (anatomy): the colored diaphragm of the eye surrounding the pupil. Its sphincter and dilator muscles adjust pupil size to control light entry; melanin determines eye color, and its pattern is unique like a fingerprint.

Iris atrophy

Degeneration of iris (iris atrophy), especially essential or progressive iris atrophy, a rare unilateral ICE syndrome variant with corectopia, iris holes, synechiae, and secondary glaucoma; ICD-10 H21.26, ICD-11 9A90.1.

Iris melanoma

Iris melanoma, a malignant melanocytic tumor of the iris and the most common primary iris neoplasm, about 2–5% of uveal melanomas; spindle-cell, low metastasis rate (3% at 5 years), treated by observation, resection, plaque radiotherapy, or enucleation.

Iris R. Shannon

Iris R. Shannon, also known as Iris Reed Shannon, was an American public health nurse in Chicago and the first African American nurse elected president of the American Public Health Association.

IRL GREY trial

IRL GREY (Incomplete Response in Late-Life Depression: Getting to Remission), NCT00892047, NIMH-funded 3-site trial; aripiprazole augmentation of venlafaxine gave 43% vs 29% remission in treatment-resistant late-life depression, moderated by set-shifting performance.

Irofulven

Irofulven (HMAF) is an investigational anticancer alkylating agent derived from illudin S, a mushroom toxin; it was studied in 41 clinical trials including Phase 3 but never approved.

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency: inadequate body iron stores for metabolism, the world's most common nutritional disorder and leading cause of anemia. Also called iron deficiency anemia when hemoglobin falls; diagnosed mainly by serum ferritin.

Iron deficiency anaemia

Iron deficiency anemia is anemia caused by a shortage of iron, which the body needs to build hemoglobin; low intake, poor absorption, or blood loss are typical causes.

Iron lung

Iron lung: tank respirator ventilating by negative pressure, invented by Drinker and Shaw (1928), improved by Emerson (1931); mainstay for polio patients, later displaced by positive-pressure ventilators.

Iron overload diseases

Iron overload diseases are conditions in which excess iron accumulates in body tissues, damaging the liver, pancreas, and heart, usually through hereditary hemochromatosis or repeated transfusions.

Iron supplement

Iron supplement: oral iron salts (ferrous sulfate, fumarate, gluconate) used to treat iron deficiency anemia; typical doses 50-100 mg elemental iron, alternate-day dosing improves tolerability, hepcidin limits absorption.

Iron-deficiency anemia

Iron-deficiency anemia (IDA), anemia from depleted iron stores, the world's most common anemia affecting about 1.2 billion people; diagnosed by low ferritin (thresholds 15–45 µg/L vary by guideline), treated with oral or intravenous iron and evaluation for blood loss.

Sep 29, 2026

Irreversible electroporation

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal tumor ablation technique, proposed in 2005, that kills cells with high-voltage electric pulses while sparing blood vessels, ducts, and surrounding tissue, making it useful for tumors near vital structures.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder of gut-brain interaction, causes recurrent abdominal pain with altered bowel habits without structural damage; diagnosed by Rome IV criteria, treated with diet, drugs, CBT, and hypnotherapy.

Irritant contact dermatitis

Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD), non-allergic contact dermatitis, is skin inflammation from direct barrier damage by irritants such as wet work, detergents, and disinfectants; it causes about 80% of contact dermatitis and is diagnosed clinically after excluding allergy.

Irritant diaper dermatitis

Irritant diaper dermatitis, also called diaper rash or napkin dermatitis, is an irritant contact dermatitis of diapered skin in infants, caused by occlusion, moisture, friction, urine, feces, and fecal enzymes; over 50% of infants are affected, and superabsorbent disposable diapers reduced its incidence.

Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital

Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital is a federal government teaching hospital in Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, and a national center of excellence for managing Lassa fever.

Iruplinalkib

Iruplinalkib (伊鲁阿克, trade name 启欣可, code WX-0593) is Qilu Pharmaceutical's oral ALK/ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor for ALK-positive NSCLC, approved in China June 2023 post-crizotinib and January 2024 first-line.

IRVAN syndrome

IRVAN syndrome (idiopathic retinal vasculitis, aneurysms, and neuroretinitis; ORPHA:209943) is a rare retinal vasculopathy of young adults, defined by arterial aneurysms at bifurcations, vasculitis, and neuroretinitis, treated with panretinal photocoagulation and anti-VEGF.

IRYSS-COPD study

IRYSS-COPD Appropriateness Study (IRYSS-CAS): Spanish prospective cohort (16 hospitals, 2008-2010, 2,877 patients) validating RAND/UCLA explicit criteria for hospital admission in COPD exacerbations.

ISACS study

ISACS-TC (NCT01218776) is a University of Bologna multinational registry of acute coronary syndromes in Central and Eastern European transitional countries; 14,326 patients enrolled 2010–2015 at 41 centers in 12 countries, documenting outcomes, reperfusion, and guideline conformity.

Isatuximab

Isatuximab (Sarclisa, isatuximab-irfc) is a Sanofi anti-CD38 IgG1 monoclonal antibody for multiple myeloma, given with pomalidomide, carfilzomib, or VRd regimens; IV 10 mg/kg, subcutaneous 1,400 mg, efficacy similar to daratumumab.

Isaxonine

Isaxonine (2-(isopropylamino)pyrimidine, Nerfactor) is a withdrawn French neurotrophic drug for peripheral neuropathy, marketed 1981 as the phosphate salt and withdrawn in 1983-1984 for toxic hepatitis.

Ischaemic cardiomyopathy

Ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), also called ischemic cardiomyopathy, is left ventricular systolic dysfunction from coronary artery disease; the leading heart failure cause in developed countries, with higher mortality than nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Ischaemic optic neuropathy

Ischaemic optic neuropathy (ION, ischemic optic neuropathy): sudden painless vision loss from optic nerve infarction. Anterior (AION) and posterior (PION) forms; nonarteritic AION is the leading acute optic neuropathy over age 50, with no proven treatment.

Ischemia

Ischemia, also called ischaemia, is restricted arterial blood supply leaving tissue short of oxygen. Covers types (myocardial, limb, cerebral), causes, symptoms, reperfusion injury, and ischemic preconditioning.