pelvic diameter


diameter

 [di-am´ĕ-ter] the length of a straight line passing through the center of a circle and connecting opposite points on its circumference; hence the distance between the two specified opposite points on the periphery of a structure such as the cranium or pelvis.cranial d's (craniometric d's) imaginary lines connecting points on opposite surfaces of the cranium; the most important are biparietal, that joining the parietal eminences; bitemporal, that joining the extremities of the coronal suture; cervicobregmatic, that joining the center of the anterior fontanel and the junction of the neck with the floor of the mouth; frontomental, that joining the forehead and chin; occipitofrontal, that joining the external occipital protuberance and the most prominent midpoint of the frontal bone; occipitomental, that joining the external occipital protuberance and the most prominent midpoint of the chin; suboccipitobregmatic, that joining the lowest posterior point of the occiput and the center of the anterior fontanel.pelvic diameter see pelvic diameter.

pelvic

 [pel´vik] pertaining to the pelvis.pelvic diameter any diameter of the pelvis. The diagonal conjugate joins the posterior surface of the pubis to the tip of the sacral promontory; the external conjugate joins the depression under the last lumbar spine to the upper margin of the pubis; the true or internal conjugate is the anteroposterior diameter of the pelvic inlet, measured from the upper margin of the pubic symphysis to the sacrovertebral angle; the oblique joins one sacroiliac articulation to the iliopubic eminence of the other side; the transverse diameter of the inlet joins the two most widely separated points of the pelvic inlet; and the transverse diameter of the outlet joins the medial surfaces of the ischial tuberosities.pelvic inflammatory disease any pelvic infection involving the upper female genital tract beyond the cervix; such diseases are a major cause of female infertility.